Lucky I Found You
by CursedRedRose
Summary: Sequel to Unlucky Escapes. Marinette and Adrien now know each other's identities and are together but that doesn't make their lives any easier. They are still the superheroes that Paris looks up to, they still have to keep their identities hidden from their friends and the threats aren't just coming from akumas anymore. Can they face the challenges ahead?
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone!_

 _This story is a sequel to another fic I wrote called Unlucky Escapes, which was my first Ladybug fic, and I was amazed by the response it got (200+ favourites? How did that happen?) and it was always a story I wanted to continue so here this is. I would recommend that you read the first one to help you make sense of what is going on here so here is the link: s/11850918/1/Unlucky-Escapes._

 _I decided to make this a new story as this has a higher rating and I wanted to do more drama though there will still be funny stuff like in the last one. Also this is more focused on Adrien and Marinette after they have revealed themselves so it will be very different._

 _Anyway enough with my ramblings. Please enjoy the story!_

Something was up, Alya thought, the investigator part of her itching to get to the bottom of whatever was going on here. She was standing outside the classroom door as she flicked through the newsfeed on her phone, trying to find any news about yesterday's akuma attack that she could post on the Ladyblog, but her mind was on other matters. It was whirring over the strange little things she had spotted going on between her best friend and her crush Adrien, little things that they had never done before. She looked up and saw them across the playground and her eyes narrowed like the lens of a camera as she focused in on them. They both started to laugh and her eyebrows rose in suspicion as she smiled. There was only one thing that could potentially drag her away from her Ladyblog and that was her real-life OTP. Her smile only got wider when she saw the contented smiles n both of their faces and she had to contain a little squeal. Oh yes, something was most definitely up and she was going to find out what.

It had started that morning when she had arrived at school to find Marinette was early and already in her seat, an event that was so rare she had done a double take when she walked in, staring at her like she was a ghost. Then, just when she was about to demand to know what she was doing there on time, she had been rendered speechless by the sight of Adrien, the boy her best friend had been almost catatonic for since the start of the school year, sitting in front of her, joking and teasing with her in a way she had never seen before. When they had noticed her they had both instantly stopped and fallen silent but they had caught each other's eyes before Adrien turned to face the front and she could have sworn that he had winked at her. She wasn't sure how she had gotten to her seat after that but when she had, she had been quick to leap on it.

"Marinette, what was that?!" She had asked eagerly, the shipping senses inside her feeling like they were about to explode and splatter the classroom with her fangirling. "Were you just talking to Adrien? In complete sentences? What happened yesterday?"

"Nothing happened yesterday." Marinette had firmly brushed her off, waving her hand like she hadn't been completely freaking out over being partnered with Adrien the day before. "We were just talking, that's all Alya. How did your project go with Nino?"

Alya had tried to get more details from her but Marinette somehow managed to keep steering the conversation away from Adrien until their teacher got there. Her suspicions had only grown when it came to presenting their English projects. Adrien and Marinette had been the first pair called up to present and, to Alya's surprise, they had each delivered their parts with an almost breezy confidence; it was like two different people had been up in front of the class. Although she would never have admitted it, she had been expecting the presentation to be super awkward as Adrien was usually so shy and Marinette normally turned into a wreck around him but they had each been faultless and even the teacher had sounded impressed as she gave them top marks. At the end of the presentation, there had been a brief moment where they had looked at each other and shared a smile, their cheeks each going a delicate shade of cherry blossom pink and Alya's jaw had almost hit the desk.

"Who are you and what have you done with Marinette?" She had hissed to her in astonishment when Marinette had sat down but the only response she got was a short laugh. As she continued to stare at the two of them and how easy they were now in each other's company, her brain was going into overdrive. She was certain something had gone on between them last night, the only question was what. Had her ship finally sailed? She had to know. She determinedly exited the news tab she constantly had open on her phone before she stabbed open the video camera with a grin. There was a story here and there was nothing she loved more than a story that needed to be unearthed.

She looked back at the two of them and saw Nino had joined their conversation. Adrien and Marinette had their backs facing her so they didn't see her as she approached. It was lunchtime and they were sitting around a picnic bench as they ate and chatted, Marinette sharing out a box of pastries she had brought in that Adrien was quickly demolishing. Alya had been kept behind for a quiet word with the teacher after her presentation (it turned out her idea to project an image of Frankenstein's monster on the wall with her phone whilst they talked about the book, accompanied by a score from Nino, hadn't been the best idea, especially when no one had been expecting it. Nobody had ever heard Rose scream so loud and even Juleka had looked a little freaked by the sheer surprise of it.) and so she had only just gotten out. She kept against the wall as she moved in, feeling like this was good practise for her later career; she was going to have to be sneaky at some point. She paused to hold up her phone and get it at the right angle so it wouldn't be easily seen. She seriously hoped she had enough room; she really didn't want to lose this.

As she approached, Nino looked up and spotted her. He raised his arm to wave at her but she sharply drew her hand across her throat and he stopped, freezing for a second with a confused look on his face before he awkwardly covered it up by adjusting his hat. He looked over at her as she pointed towards the other two and he gave a small nod and a subtle thumbs-up. Adrien nearly looked around but Nino quickly distracted him by shoving another pastry into his hands, giving Alya a confused look but saying nothing. He had no idea what Alya was up to but he owed her one after she took most of the heat for the whole Frankenstein thing. He carried on talking but his sentences were stilted as he kept one eye on Alya sneaking forwards and the other on his two friends in front of him. He too had sensed something was different between them and had earlier tried to find out what from Adrien but that boy had been harder to read than that damn Frankenstein book for English and even now both their lips were still sealed tightly. He only hoped Alya could be more successful in finding out what had happened. Knowing her, she wouldn't give up until she did.

Alya positioned herself behind a bush with her phone held aloft, not daring to get any closer in case they saw her and blew the entire thing. For a few moments she crouched there, her leg muscles burning and her arms begging to be put down, but she stayed as still as a statue, gritting her teeth so she didn't make any noise. The minutes went by and nothing happened; they carried on talking and the volume of pastries on the bench were slowly diminishing. She was just thinking that this was all pointless and she should just give up and get some food before Adrien ate it all when suddenly Adrien's arm reached out and snaked around Marinette's waist. Alya's eyes went wide and she squealed with glee as Marinette leaned into his touch and his hand rested on her hip. This was the perfect proof she had been looking for and she had caught it all on camera.

"I KNEW IT!" She yelled triumphantly, springing from her hiding place as she determinedly pointed at the two of them, her phone held up like a trophy in her other hand. "I knew something had happened between you two!"

"ARGH!" Marinette squealed loudly in surprise when her friend jumped out, her arms flailing in panic like she was trying to fight off a horde of insects. She sprang upwards but her legs caught in the bench and she was sent falling backwards. Alya ran forwards as if she had a chance of catching her but before she had even ran a few steps, Adrien had already swooped down and grabbed her before she hit the ground. His face was right above hers and he smiled down at her with a Chat-like grin as he pulled her up, tugging her body close and gently positioning her so she was sitting on his lap. Marinette squeaked when she realised where she was. Her two friends were staring at them and she tried to wriggle free but he was holding her firmly around her middle and he wasn't letting go.

"Adrien, people are looking…" She whispered out of the corner of her mouth. Most of their class had now turned around to see what all the commotion was about and now most of them were gawking at the sight of the dark-haired girl being cradled by the model.

"And? Let them." She heard him say as he cuddled her closer and nuzzled his head into her side uncaring. She heard a purr coming from his throat that made her smile.

"You are so needy Chaton." She mumbled so only he could hear as she dug her fingers into his hair and ruffled it affectionately. She then heard a noise behind her and sharply turned her head to see Alya was still standing there, her face almost split with a giant beaming grin and her phone still recording. She was also joined by Nino, who was scratching his head whilst looking completely dumbstruck and muttering "Where did you get those reflexes from bro?" She instantly went pink and started gabbling.

"I can explain…"

"Adrikins?" Both her and Adrien's heads shot round as they heard Chloe approaching. The blonde was stomping her way over to their table with a furious look on her face, her ponytail whipping back and forth in time with her angry steps and Sabrina on her heels like a devoted lapdog. "Adrikins, are you alright?" She cooed as she fussed over him, trying to pull him away by one arm whilst she stared daggers at Marinette. "This is such a horrible situation, I can't believe that she forced you into her awful clutches, you must be simply stunned…"

"Actually Chloe, I'm perfectly fine." Adrien spoke up over her and she let go of him and stared in bewilderment as his arm returned to Marinette's waist. "In fact, I would actually say I'm better than fine."

"How?" Chloe stormed, stamping her foot as her face contorted with even more rage. "How can you be fine like… like this?! How can you stand it?!"

Adrien looked up at Marinette like he was asking for permission, a small smile etched on his pleading face. Marinette seemed to ponder it for a moment before she took one look at the fuming blonde and nodded, crossing her arms as she leaned back, ready to enjoy the fireworks. "Well," Adrien then answered, looking almost apologetic for how happy he sounded. "It would be pretty sad if I wasn't able to stand cuddling my girlfriend would it?"

That was when all hell broke loose. When the teachers ran onto the playground at the sound of screaming, they came across one of the strangest sights they had ever seen. Chloe was standing there screaming at the top of her lungs whilst Sabrina stood next to her open-mouthed, having no clue what to do to calm her down. Meanwhile, Adrien was casually sitting on the bench in front of her with Marinette perched on his lap looking intensely satisfied at the scene in front of her. Alya was still recording, looking ready to burst with how excited she was and wondering whether she could get away with posting this on the Ladyblog as the rest of the class stared at the spectacle in stunned silence. Only Nino was capable of speech as he nudged Alya and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Did that really just happen?"

"Oh yes Nino." Alya triumphantly jabbed the button on her phone as Chloe stopped screaming, looked back at Marinette still sitting comfortably on Adrien and then started back up again even louder. "And I got every single second of it."


	2. Chapter 2

"I still can't believe that actually happened." Marinette smiled as her eyes flicked over to her chaise longue before they returned to the length of pink fabric she held in her hands. She dug her needle back into it and looped the thread through as a chuckle rose from the other side of the room that made her smile even wider. "Can you believe it?"

"I have to, I've got the burst eardrum to prove it." Chat Noir grinned at her, his green eyes gleaming as they soaked up the light that came from the moon hovering outside. The silver light gushed into her corner of the room, a large square of it landing on her hands so she could clearly see what she was doing, but left his side in a dark gloom where she could only just see him. She looked up again as he stretched out casually, the dark leather of his suit giving off a sheen as he moved. He hadn't transformed yet, simply because Tikki was asleep after all the excitement of the night before (she had stayed up all night with them as they had talked after their reveals) and they didn't want Plagg to annoy her but Adrien didn't really mind. There was still a big part of him that felt more confident when he was wearing the black mask and the flirting he enjoyed seemed to come more naturally. He gave Marinette one of his famous flirtatious glances as she sighed and shook her head at him. "I didn't think anybody could scream that loud. I think the teachers thought she was being murdered."

"She looked like she wanted to do that to me for stealing you from her," Marinette remarked, her eyes not looking up from the little row of neat stitches she was adding to. She couldn't stop a smug smile making its way onto her face at the memory and Adrien saw it and beamed at her. "Especially after she was boasting about that poster she got you to sign."

"Oh don't remind me." Adrien groaned, thinking of how Chloe had once tricked him into signing a love declaration on one of his own posters and then practically waved it in the faces of half the girls in the city. "Don't worry princess, if she ever tries anything I'll be there to protect you." He declared, throwing his hand over his heart dramatically.

"My hero." Marinette giggled as she scoffed at him. He tried to look offended but the sight of him pouting only made her giggle more and he gave up. "Did you see Alya's reaction though?" She added, adding another stitch to the snaking line she had created down the length of the fabric. "She looked ready to scream too. The only time I've seen her that happy was when she got that exclusive interview with Ladybug. It was all she talked about at school the next day."

"I remember seeing that," Adrien said, thinking almost fondly of the time when Alya's blog had been the only source he had about his lady that he went on almost religiously, before his mind went back to that afternoon. "But was that interrogation really necessary? I know she was excited and all but I don't think she needed to sit us at a desk and shine a light in our faces." His eyes blinked viciously at the memory and Marinette laughed out loud.

"That's just Alya," She replied. "You know how she likes to get to the bottom of everything."

"You're telling me, do you remember how many times we've seen her at an akuma attack and told her to stay away?"

"Too many to count." Marinette answered as she focused fully on her sewing, the tip of her tongue peeping out from the corner of her mouth in a way he thought was adorable. Chat Noir watched her silently for a few minutes before he began to fidget a little. Watching her sew was very relaxing and he loved seeing her happily working at what she loved but it was hardly the most exciting of activities and, although he would never admit it, he craved her attention.

"So," he asked airily as he examined his claws. "When are we going to let Paris know that their heroes Ladybug and Chat Noir are finally a couple?"

That made her head shoot up, her eyes looking to the side as she thought about it. "I don't think we should do it yet," She eventually said. "It's not that I don't want to but it's probably best to leave it a while. We don't want to look suspicious to the people around us by having Ladybug and Chat Noir getting together at the same time as Adrien and Marinette."

Adrien pouted again; everything she said made sense but that still didn't mean he had to like it. "But my Lady," he whined, tilting his head to the side. "How am I going to keep my hands off you?"

Marinette looked at him with a small smile. She had found out that Adrien was a very hands-on sort of boyfriend; he just seemed to be drawn to her like a magnet, his hand always finding its way onto her own, her shoulder or her hip. That was how Alya had caught them earlier. She had proudly shown off her video evidence at the beginning of the interrogation and Adrien's answer had just been to pull Marinette closer and put his head on her shoulder, causing both of them to look dumbfounded.

"You're managing so far, aren't you?" She told him, her eyebrows raised playfully. "And besides, we'll be too busy battling akumas to concentrate on anything else."

"You're always on my mind though princess." He purred but Marinette had already dropped her eyes back to her sewing. She continued to work on the length of fabric for a few more minutes in silence until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Marinette…" He whined again, his green eyes big and pleading in the gloom. "I'm bored."

"You are such a needy cat." She said without looking up. "I'm sorry Chaton but I need to get this finished, it's been cluttering up my sewing box for weeks now and I promised Mama I would finish the curtains as soon as I could."

"You're choosing that piece of material over me?" Chat Noir cried out, throwing his head back and pressing the back of his hand to his forehead whilst the other clutched at his heart. "How could you be so cruel to your knight, my Lady?"

"Stop being such a drama queen Chat." She sighed at him, chucking a small pincushion across the room that he easily dodged. "I'm almost done, now be a good cat and contain yourself for a few more minutes."

"But I can't." He whinged like a small child but Marinette was back to ignoring him as she rotated her chair a half-turn so she was facing away from him. He pouted at her back for a moment as he sulked before he was hit by an idea and the pout was replaced by a wicked grin.

There was silence in the room as Marinette carried on sewing contentedly, giving her needle a flourish as she worked. I wonder what he's doing to entertain himself, she thought for a moment just before she heard a crash coming from behind her. She let out a groan-there could only be one culprit for that-and she spun her chair around to confront him, only to find the room looked empty. She tossed her head from side to side but there was no sign of the black cat.

"Chat, what are you playing at?" She called out, putting her hands on her hips as she scanned the room. "Do you want to wake my parents up?"

She frowned into the darkness but no answer came. She was just about to stand up when she suddenly felt a pair of strong arms grab her and scoop her up, making her half-finished curtain fall to the floor and spill out in a pool of silky pink. "Chat!" She gasped out in surprise when she felt herself being held against a torso wrapped tightly in black leather with his arms cuddling her close. "Put me down!"

"Nope." Came the sing-song answer as Chat Noir carried her across the room bridal-style, humming a tune like he was very smug, before he dropped her gently on her chaise longue. Before she could move, she found his body was pinning her there with his hands holding her own above her head so she couldn't struggle. She looked up and him and saw him smile down at her. Both his deep green eyes and shining teeth caught the light, making them loom out at her and she huffed at him.

"Chat, let me go! I need to finish!"

"I'm sorry Marinette but I am now putting you under Agreste."

"What?!" She stared up at him in shock at the terrible pun and he laughed at her expression.

"You have the right to remain silent…"

"Chat!"

"…for this claw-ful crime, I sentence you…"

"Get off me!"

"…to life im-paw-sonment."

"Chat, stop it! Get off me right now!"

Marinette wrestled against the hold of her partner as he grinned down at her. Before he could make any more puns, she suddenly used her full Ladybug strength and pushed him upwards, flipping him so it was now her pinning him to the chaise longue. She looked down at him crossly as at first he looked up surprised before the devious smile returned and he wriggled his eyebrows up at her.

"What are you going to do now Marinette? Are you going to put me…in Chengs?"

"Did you just…" she looked down at him almost horrified as he burst out laughing, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"Chengs, chains! Get it, my Lady?"

"Oh I get it alright," She muttered, her blue eyes sparking dangerously with fury. "And now you're going to get it."

"Oooh, what are you going to do princess?" He purred, his cockiness getting the better of him as he carried on laughing.

"This!" Marinette said with a wicked smile of her own before she bent down and pressed her mouth to his, making all his laughter die in his throat. Before he had a chance to respond, her lips had trailed down to his jawline and she kissed lightly across his chin before she skimmed down the veins of his neck. She could hear him stuttering as she pressed more kisses onto his shoulder blade, peeling the black leather away as she did so, and it made her smile into his skin as she reached the pointed corner of his shoulder.

"M-m-marinette…"

"Yes kitty?" She drew her head back up and leaned in close to his, so close he could feel her breath on his cheeks. She was so tantalising that he felt his cheeks burning under the gaze of her ocean-blue eyes. Then, just as suddenly as before, she leaned back and leapt off him, sauntering back to her chair without a second glance back at the mess she had left him in. All Chat Noir could do was lift his head up and stare in disbelief after her as she sat back down in her chair and picked her sewing back up. He watched her rethread her tangled needle and put in another stitch before she looked back at him with a victorious smile. It was then when he knew he had been completely played and he had fallen for it hook, line and sinker. He threw his head back on the chaise longue and groaned as he heard her giggle at him.

"Not cool Marinette." He said breathlessly, his chest still heaving. "Not cool."


	3. Chapter 3

Adrien pushed himself away from his desk and leant back in his chair with a sigh. Plagg watched him from his sitting position in the air, quiet for once as he had a mouthful of Camembert, as he then dragged himself back to the laptop in front of him and read over the History essay he had just completed before he saved it finally and closed it down. He groaned when he looked over at the window and saw it was dark outside. He had spent over an hour on the essay about the French Revolution and he still had an algebra sheet to finish, not to mention the physics he still hadn't even looked at yet… He rubbed his eyes as he sleepily yawned. The day had been a very long one and it didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon.

It had started when he had accidentally fallen asleep at Marinette's the night before and they had both been woken up by the sound of her school alarm. Although it had been pleasant waking up snuggled against her on her chaise longue, the panic he had felt upon realising he was still there had been less so and he had had to run across the city as Chat Noir as fast as his paws could carry him. He had just managed to get back home and transform back before Nathalie came to check up on him but then he had been told that an all-day photoshoot for his father's new summer line had been organised for him and that meant he wasn't going to be able to attend school that day. That had felt crushing when he realised that meant he wasn't going to see Marinette or the rest of his friends and he had to be content texting them all during his breaks which were few and far between. The photoshoot had been long and tedious, like they always were, but this one had felt especially awkward as he had had to pose with a lot of female models and, whilst that was normal for him, now that he had a girlfriend it felt really uncomfortable, especially when some of the girls had gotten far too close for his liking. He had asked the photographer if they could be asked to tone it down but the guy had just shrugged and said that was what the photos called for. He had got home later than usual and after eating dinner alone and texting his friends goodnight, he had finally got a chance to start his homework. However, the history had taken longer than planned and he felt exhausted. Maybe he could get up early tomorrow and do the algebra? He thought as he yawned. He was so bone-tired even Plagg was looking at him worriedly.

"Hey kid, you need to take a break," He said, flying over as he gulped down the last of his cheese in three huge bites. "The teachers aren't going to crucify you if you hand in the homework late once."

"They won't but my dad will." Adrien answered. "You know what he's like." He looked back at the sheet and groaned again. "Maybe I should do some of the questions now…"

He stopped and both of them turned their heads when they heard a tapping sound coming from the giant windows behind him. Adrien looked over and his face lit up when he saw Ladybug was standing on the windowsill, her yoyo lightly tapping on the glass as she frantically looked around in case she was spotted. Their eyes met and she waved at him smiling as he leapt out of his chair and dashed over to let her in, marvelling at how gracefully she rolled into the room. When she had let him into hers last night, he had managed to knock over at least three pot plants and would have broken them if it hadn't been for her quick thinking. She turned around to face in and before she could speak, he had wrapped her up in a big hug.

"My Lady!" He beamed into her shoulder as he squeezed her tightly and felt her hug him back even tighter. "What are you doing here? I thought you had patrol tonight."

"I did," She told him, stepping back from the hug so she could look at him but still keeping her hands on his shoulders, like she couldn't quite bear letting him go. "But Paris has thankfully been quiet tonight and I had to drop some things off here for you. And I also wanted to see you, it sounds like you've had a rough day."

"Yeah, it hasn't been the best." He admitted, about to tell her what had happened but the words died on his tongue when he saw her expression. She was smiling like she always did but it seemed very strained and her blue eyes looked close to tears as they stared into his. "Hey, what's wrong?" He asked and she looked startled.

"Hmm? Oh, nothing's wrong! I'm fine Adrien, you don't need to look so worried." She said with a laugh but the noise was shrill and so obviously fake she quickly stopped and averted her eyes. Adrien frowned at her and cupped her cheeks in his hands, making her look up at him so she had nowhere to hide.

"Marinette, I know there's something up," he told her as he gently ran his thumbs over her cheekbones, his touch lighter than the brush of a cat's whisker. She looked up at him a little surprised; she knew he was being more serious when he used her full name and not one of the many pet names he had for her. "Please, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"I know Adrien," She said, her voice only just above a soft whisper as he saw tears start to swim in the depths of her eyes. "But it's nothing…I don't know why I'm making such a big deal of it really…it's just Chloe…"

"Chloe?" The tone of his voice was suddenly harder at the mention of his old friend's name. "What did she say to you? Did she try anything, if she did…"

"No, there was just this thing that happened at lunch…" Ladybug started to tell him, her voice breaking into hiccups as she tried to stop herself from crying. "We were about to leave the classroom for lunchtime when somebody commented that you weren't there…and she said something like 'Well no wonder he isn't here, his new girlfriend probably gave him some disease'… and then she looked at me and she started saying all these things… like that I was a tramp and a whore…and you were only dating me because I was easy… and then she said once you had had your fill of me, you would go and find someone more worthy…"

"She said what?!" Adrien growled and she almost jumped back at the fury in his voice. She had never seen him really angry as he was usually so polite and mellow but she had always imagined it would be like the cold hard anger of his father who could freeze your insides with shame with just a look. Instead, Adrien appeared to have inherited a very different temperament that she could only assume was from his mother-he looked ready to erupt like a volcano and his green eyes were suddenly ablaze. "That girl is going too far, she's caused half the akumas in this city and now this…" He looked back at his girlfriend and saw that the tears had spilled from her eyes and she was biting her lip to contain the sound of her sobbing. "Oh Bugaboo, I'm so sorry, I should have been there, I'm not angry at you…"

"I know," She hiccupped between sobs. "I'm sorry, I don't know why but that really hurt…and when the whole class heard…" She couldn't hold it in any longer when it all came flooding back and she covered her face with her hands as she started to weep, the sobs shaking her body like they were berating her for crying. You're Ladybug, you're meant to be the hero of Paris, not this sobbing mess, start acting like it! They seemed to say to her but that only made her cry harder. You're a failure, a voice that sounded a lot like Chloe's came bitterly into her head. Nothing but a failure…

"Shush, it's OK." Adrien's arms wrapped around her again and he held her tightly against him, his hand stroking her hair when she buried her head in the crook of his neck and howled. Gently, he scooped up her legs and carried her the few steps to the sofa in his room before he sat down and let her curl up on his lap. As she did, there was a burst of pink light and Adrien briefly shielded his eyes before he saw a little red kwami hovering above him, looking down at Marinette with concern. He smiled to reassure her that she would be OK and he nodded over to where Plagg was sitting. Tikki nodded at him and flew over, knowing Marinette was in the best hands she could be in. The girl continued to cry onto his shoulder and he cuddled her closer, whispering words of comfort as he kissed her wet cheeks.

"You know none of what she said is true." He said softly as her sobs calmed down into sniffles and she rested her head on his shoulder so her eyes could peer up at him through her damp eyelashes. "And I could never leave you because I'll never have enough of you. I'm dating you because I love you, you and only you. Nothing anybody could say could change that. You are the most beautiful and amazing person I know and if there is anybody who isn't worthy here, it's me."

"Don't say that." She said as her hand reached up and ruffled his hair.

"Well, it's true."

"No it's not, stop saying that!"

"Make me." He grinned at her with a glint in his eyes that made her laugh with its challenge.

"Ok then." She grinned back as she put her hand over his mouth, laughing at the surprised and then annoyed look that appeared on his face.

"That wasn't really what I was hoping for." His words were muffled by her fingers and she carried on laughing until she felt something wet run along her fingers and she pulled them away with a yelp of disgust.

"You just licked me! That's cheating!"

"No it's not." He shot back cheekily with another Chat Noir grin that made her stomach flip. "And your hands taste like cookies."

"I was helping in the bakery earlier, we made like five dozen of them, that's probably why." She explained as she looked up and saw him slowly lick his lips and lean closer to her. "Adrien don't look at me like that, I am not a pastry!"

"But you're as sweet as one." She heard him lowly murmur before he dived for her neck like a vampire about to suck her blood. She squealed as he planted a deep kiss on her throat before his lips raced to the side of her neck and bit at the soft skin there. She pushed him back and he admired the red mark he had left there before she put her hand to it and gasped.

"Adrien, that's going to bruise you dumb cat!"

"That's the plan." He beamed down at her, looking very pleased with himself. "Now everyone will know you are my lady and no one else's."

"Oh really?" He saw her eyes flash dangerously and he felt a sudden urge to run. "Then how about we make a matching pair?"

"Mari no! I have to model-" His protests were cut short as his girlfriend pounced on him, wasting no time as she left her own bite mark, leaving it lower down his neck so it would be easier to hide. She then sat back in triumph as he looked up at her. He really should stop trying, he thought, she always knew how to best him.

"Feeling better now?" He smiled up at her and she smiled back as they curled back up in the corner of the sofa, nodding happily as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Yeah. Thanks kitty."

They stayed like that for a while, just happy to be in each other's company, until he heard her say "I should probably go now, you've had a long day and you need to sleep."

"Five more minutes?" He pleaded but she had already untangled her limbs from his and stood up, calling Tikki over from where the two kwamis had been catching up all night and ignoring their humans.

She shook her head at him and that made him pout. "I'm sorry Adrien but we can't afford to fall asleep again, last time was bad enough. Plus, I can see the dark circles under your eyes, you need to rest before all this work makes you have a breakdown. And talking of work…" She suddenly delved her hand into her pocket and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Here you are, before I forget."

Adrien opened it up and grinned when he saw it. It was a copy of the algebra sheet but fully completed. "I figured you would be working yourself to death so I did an extra one." Marinette added, pleased to see the relief on his face. "Don't worry, I made sure to get every question right."

"You are a star Bugaboo," He said, standing up to give her a thank you kiss. "But are you sure you can't stay?"

"Tikki, spots on!" She said, turning back into Ladybug before his eyes as she ignored his question. "I'll see you in the morning Adrien." She then told him firmly before pecking his lips and smiling up at him. She then turned and walked towards the window, turning her body as she briefly perched there. "Plagg, make sure he goes to bed for me."

"Will do!" The black fairy waved at her and Adrien looked affronted.

"How come you listen to her?" He asked as Plagg shrugged and Ladybug laughed.

"Goodnight kitty."

"Goodnight milady."

He watched her throw her yoyo up into the air and swing away and his face fell almost the second she was out of sight. "I miss her already Plagg." He moaned and Plagg gave a deep sigh as the boy pressed his forehead to the window.

"Adrien, just go to bed." He told him as he drifted over to the desk, hoping he still had some cheese left so he would have the strength to deal with his master's lovesickness. "Just go."


	4. Chapter 4

Marinette stared at her neck in dismay the next morning, her eyes desperately not wanting what was clearly in the mirror to be really there. That darn cat, she thought with a little hiss as her hand reached up to touch the angry reddish-purple bruise that had formed on her neck, standing out against her white skin like a soup stain on a pristine tablecloth. She could still clearly see the teeth marks in the centre of the bruise, like she had been the victim of a vampire, and she let out a little huff. She knew cats had sharp teeth and Adrien had adopted many cat-like qualities since becoming Chat Noir but this was just ridiculous.

She groaned when she thought of what Alya was going to say (god, she would never let this die) and then groaned even louder when she realised she would have to somehow sneak this past her parents who, although they had been overjoyed to hear she was dating Adrien and were probably making wedding plans for the two of them already, would not be too happy to see their little girl with her first hickey. She grabbed at her make-up bag and layered the bruise with foundation which covered up most of the burning redness. Now it just looks like I have dirt on my neck, she thought as she frowned at the mark still visible there, and she reached for her hairbrush. If I wear it loose, it should be hidden, she pondered with a smile as, instead of reaching for her hair ribbons, she just untangled the knots from her raven curls and let them fall over her shoulders. It actually doesn't look too bad either, she smiled in the mirror, doing a little twirl as Tikki nodded her approval from behind her. Hopefully nobody will notice.

As the morning went on, luck seemed to be on her side as neither of her parents commented on the change at breakfast. A big order for a wedding had just come in and both Tom and Sabine had been too busy excitedly planning what to make for the couple's pastry-themed wedding breakfast to notice her new hairstyle. On the way to school she had to consciously make sure she didn't tuck it behind her ears as she would normally have done with loose bits that escaped from her pigtails but she managed it through sheer willpower. She quickly spotted Alya when she got round the corner and the girls waved at each other before Alya came rushing over.

"Hey Marinette! You'll never guess what I just got sent…wow girl, that looks so nice on you!" She gushed, eager to spill out her news but pausing to step back and smile at her friend's new style. "Loose hair makes you look so grown-up; you should have it down more often."

"Thanks Alya." Marinette's cheeks flushed a little pink at the thought of why she had it like this but she quickly pushed it down to change the subject. "So what were you saying about being sent something?"

"Oh that!" Alya dragged her along as she whipped her phone out from her bag and started to go through it. "Last night, I was sent a video from somebody who had seen Ladybug out and about. And you'll never believe this but she was heading in the direction of Adrien's house!"

Marinette nearly stopped in the centre of the pavement as she felt panic clutch at her insides. How had that happened? She had been certain no one had seen her and she had been so careful… She realised Alya was waiting for a reaction and she made a loud surprised gasp.

"No way! Do you think he saw her?"

"Maybe, I was planning to ask him." Alya replied before she giggled. "Who knows, maybe she was on her way to steal him from your clutches."

"Please, I'm sure Ladybug has better things to do with her time." Marinette scoffed. The panic was starting to fade and now she almost felt like laughing. If only she knew how weirdly close she was to the truth, she thought. "She was probably just on patrol in that area. Besides, aren't Chat Noir and her meant to be a thing?"

"That's just speculation," Alya rattled off quickly, just like Marinette knew she would. "Believe me, I would be the first to know if that ever happened. They are just the cutest pair though, aren't they? It's like they were made for each other. If I just could get something on the pair of them…I wonder if they know each other's civilian form?"

"Are you still hung up on that?" Marinette asked with her eyebrow raised. "You know you're never going to figure out Ladybug's secret identity."

"I will one day Mari," Alya said determinedly, tapping her phone on the side of her nose in place of her finger. "I promise you, if anyone in this city will find out it will be Alya Césaire!" She declared proudly, making Marinette giggle. "You may be laughing now but just wait and see. Hey I can see the guys up ahead!"

Marinette followed her gaze and caught sight of Nino and Adrien standing in the playground and she waved at them as Alya made a beeline for Adrien. Marinette was only able to give him a smile in warning before her friend had opened the video file and had thrust it in his face.

"Adrien! I need to ask you if you saw Ladybug last night, she was spotted heading towards your house, this is really very important-"

"Hello Alya, nice to see you too." Nino interrupted her flow of words, laughing at how panicked Adrien looked as he came under attack from Alya's questions. "C'mon, he hasn't even said hi to his girlfriend yet."

"That is true." Adrien laughed as Marinette stepped forwards to hug him. He returned her embrace enthusiastically, taking the opportunity to kiss her forehead and run his fingers through her loose hair with a wry smile. "I love the hair Marinette. You look beautiful. Any reason why it's down?"

"Thank you Adrien. No, I just fancied a change this morning." She answered through gritted teeth when she saw the mischievous look in his eyes. As if he doesn't know, she thought. It was then when she noticed there was also a change in his appearance. Even though the sun was out and the weather was warm, Adrien was wearing the blue scarf she had made for his birthday, the one he still believed had been given to him by his father. She had been happy to let him believe that and so far hadn't told him otherwise, thinking maybe one day he would figure it out for himself. Giving him a sneaky smile of her own, she took one end of the scarf and rubbed it between her fingers. "I really like your scarf but surely it's a little too hot to be wearing it today, isn't it?"

She grinned at the way he seemed to squirm under her gaze; her kitten still hadn't learnt his lesson from last night. The other two were now staring at the blue scarf like it was a suspicious item at a crime scene and Adrien's cheeks were beginning to go pink under their gaze.

"I was gonna say dude, you must be boiling in that thing," Nino further commented with his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "Why did you even put it on this morning? It's nowhere near cold!"

"I just…felt a morning chill I guess," Adrien answered, trying to hide the panic that was washing over him. He could feel Marinette's smug eyes on him and that certainly didn't help matters. He knew he shouldn't have said that but he just couldn't resist. "Call it a fashion statement."

"Hmm." Alya hummed loudly, causing all three of them to look over at her.

"Everything OK, Alya?" Nino asked as she put both hands on her hips.

"Oh yeah, everything's fine," She replied, a small sneaky smile on her face. "I'm just thinking, isn't it a coincidence that the new couple have both changed their appearance on the same morning?"

Rats, Marinette thought, I should have known she would spot that, she's too damn quick… Flustered, she gave a little giggle that she hoped didn't sound fake and dropped the scarf.

"Yeah it is a bit strange how that happened…" She started to say before a loud shriek echoed across the playground.

"Oh my God, Adrikins!"

"Oh God." Alya groaned as a whirlwind of blonde hair and manicured nails came flying in their direction, screeching like a banshee. Adrien felt Marinette tense up next to him at her approach and he took her hand protectively. What had happened yesterday definitely wasn't happening today.

"Adrien! I was so worried about you, we all thought you were sick!" Chloe went on, her hands clawing at him like he was a scratching post whilst she gave Marinette a hostile glare. Sabrina walked up behind them all, carrying both her and Chloe's bags, and they all watched as Adrien firmly pushed her away.

"Hello Chloe." He said in the most deadpan voice he could muster and all of them flinched at the harshness of his tone. Sabrina took a little step back and gave a worried glance at Chloe but the girl was still in full flow and hadn't noticed.

"Oh you poor thing, you must still be sick if you are wearing that. It doesn't look like it's round your neck though, let me…"

Before Adrien could say anything, Chloe had grabbed one of the scarf's ends and pulled it, trying to get it tighter but instead causing it to slide from his shoulder entirely. He gulped and quickly tried to pull it back into place but it was already too late. Chloe fell into stunned silence and the rest of them stared with wide eyes as the blotchy purple bruise that just peeped out from his collar was exposed to the light. Adrien awkwardly froze, one hand halfway up to his neck, and Marinette could feel his fingers squeeze hers as he gave a little cough. Marinette turned her head to look up at him but her eyes snagged on Alya's, as she realised her friend was no longer staring at Adrien's neck and was focused on hers instead. Her hand shot out and, even with Ladybug's quick reflexes, Marinette couldn't stop her and was powerless as Alya pulled back her curtain of hair and revealed her own identical mark.

"Aha!" She cried out, pumping her fist into the air. "I knew there was something more to this! You two are so obvious sometimes!"

"Please, it's not what it looks like…" Marinette weakly protested but she was drowned out by Alya and Nino both whooping loudly.

"Adrien, you dog!" Nino grinned as he slapped his friend on the back, making Adrien's already pink face go crimson, whilst Marinette found herself wrapped in a tight hug by Alya who was still squealing in delight.

"Aw Mari, I'm so proud of you!"

"Why are you proud? You should not be proud of this!"

"Do you know how long I've waited for this? I was ready to chuck you both in an empty classroom and lock the door!"

"Alya!" Marinette freed herself from the bear hug, her face now resembling a ripe tomato, as she looked back over at Chloe. The girl's face had frozen in a contorted mask of horror and she could almost hear the rage that was bubbling inside her like magma, ready to blow at any second. They all seemed to sense it, as Sabrina took a few cautious steps in the direction of their classroom and Adrien put his arm out in front of her.

"Don't worry princess, it will all be fine." She heard him mutter just before Chloe finally erupted.

"HOW COULD YOU?!" She screamed, making every head in the playground turn to see what the new drama was. Chloe was glaring at Marinette with her eyes blazing and she raised her hand like she was going to slap her. "How very dare you, you…you insignificant little tart! How dare you sink your filthy peasant teeth into him, you sl-"

"That's enough Chloe!" Shockwaves seemed to pulse through the air as Adrien suddenly gripped her wrist and held it there, his quiet voice bristling with anger. Chloe gawped at him as he threw her hand away and continued to stare her down.

"You will not talk about Marinette that way Chloe. I heard what you said about her yesterday and it was disgusting." He went on, his tone so angry it made Chloe go pale. She had never been spoken to like that in her whole life and all she could do was stand there with her eyes wide in shock. "Marinette is nothing like what you say about her; she is good and pure and amazing and I won't have you saying anything against her. She's my girlfriend, whether you like it or not, and I would have hoped as my friend, you would have treated her better but I guess you're too much of a spoilt brat to see past the end of your nose."

Everyone gasped as the last insult and the air felt like it had been sucked from the atmosphere as they all watched Chloe's reaction. For a moment she stood there stiffly, like she couldn't believe what had just happened. She then opened her mouth to shoot something back but a dark look from Adrien made her close it again sharply with a wince. With a last cold look at Marinette, she then span on her heels and ran to the classroom, Sabrina following in her wake with the bags.

The remaining four watched her leave, Adrien still looking cross and the other three looking bewildered at what they had just witnessed. Alya felt something grab at her arm and look to see Marinette's hand was clinging to it so tightly, she could already feel the blood circulation being cut off.

"Alya," She whispered. "Is it wrong that that is one of the hottest things I've ever seen?"

Alya, still a little in shock, gripped her friend's hand and gently prised her off. "No, guys standing up for you are pretty hot," She murmured with a look over at Adrien. "I think you need to cool him down though."

Marinette looked over and saw how he was still seething, his mouth curled in a thin line. She let go of Alya and stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around him again and pressing her head against his chest. He looked down at the soft smile she gave him and his face instantly softened as well. His arms curled around her and she had never felt safer.

"You OK now?" She heard him murmur into her hair.

"Are you?" Was her immediate response and they both had to smile. She broke the tight hug, not wanting to draw any more attention and went to stand by his side. He casually draped his arm across her shoulders and the playground appeared to breathe again as the chatter started to return.

"Geez man," Nino said, over his surprise and now laughing at how his best friend had completely kerb-stomped the most hated girl at school. "I've never seen you like that before. Where did that temper come from?"

Adrien shrugged as they made their way to class, his arm sliding off his girlfriend's shoulder so he could take her hand. "I don't know, I never usually get like that." He laughed a little before he looked away. "I guess it comes from my mother."


	5. Chapter 5

_Hi everyone! I feel so bad, this felt like it took forever! I've had a nightmare of a week, what with finishing exams, sorting out my uni and taking my driving test, I haven't had much writing time. I hope this didn't impact on the quality of this chapter as I only want to give you guys the best and this is also a pretty key point. This is where things start to get more serious so hold on to your hats!_

"So my Lady," Chat Noir called over to his partner as he dived through the air, twisting his body into a barrel roll to avoid being hit by a letterbox that had been sent soaring at him. "Do you think now would be a good time to announce our little surprise to Paris?"

Ladybug looked round and she could see the beam of his cheeky grin from across the street. She sighed a little as she leapt back into the fray, swinging her yoyo so it wrapped around a balcony railing nearby and pulling herself into the air.

"This isn't really what I would call a good time Chat," She called over as she hung upside down from the swing, swooping down as she gave a little nod to the akumatised villain who was destroying the street. "Let's just get this dealt with first."

Chat Noir looked disappointed for a brief moment but his expression soon turned to panic as he was forced to duck. A whole lamppost had been catapulted at him and it missed him by a whisker. "Sure thing Bugaboo," he replied with a little salute as he followed her down the street. "We need to get all this cleaned up."

She smiled warmly at his unbridled enthusiasm but it dropped from her face like a stone when she turned her head back to the akuma that was raging through the city ahead, his every step accompanied by screams coming from the Mayor who he had gripped in his giant hands and he was shaking him like a child cross with a stuffed toy. The akuma had been an architect who had been commissioned by Mayor Bourgeois to design a new extension to his hotel but the moment the man had presented the fruits of his labour to the Mayor, he had been sneered at and told to leave, causing him to fall under Hawkmoth's clutches. Ladybug saw how the akuma, that had used his powers to grow to the size of a house and was plated in armour of terracotta tiles and steel beams, grinned evilly at the Mayor as he screamed for help and she sighed. It was easy to see where Chloe got her talents for upsetting people though compared to her, her father was still an amateur.

"You'll be sorry you ever called me a lame street artist!" She heard the akuma bellow at the top of his lungs. "You and the world will see what I can create with bricks and mortar! Me, the great Builder!"

I swear Hawkmoth is losing his touch with these names, she thought as she whizzed after him. She watched in horror as he swung out his long arm and crushed a lamppost, the metal bending like it was made of pipe cleaners. She was still trying to find the akuma on the giant bulk of building materials that was lunging away from them and her eyes caught on a roll of blue paper marked with white lines tucked into his wide belt. It must be a blueprint, she thought as she looped around a street corner to try and gain some ground.

"Chat! The akuma's in the blueprint at his waist!" She yelled to him as he started to scale the nearest building, running sideways on all fours.

"Got it!" He affirmed, turning his head to gaze at her. She looked so beautiful when she was soaring through the air, free as a bird… He thought dreamily before he suddenly registered her look of horror.

"CHAT, LOOK OUT!" She screamed as a great fist of cracked concrete came hurdling towards him. He snapped out of his trance just quick enough to roll out of the way but she wasn't so lucky. The fist slammed into the building and then pulled back to swat at her, catching the string of her yoyo and tugging it away. She fell the string jolt as it flew back into the yoyo and she fell backwards, scrabbling in the air for a hold but the ground was coming up to meet her before she could do a thing. She braced herself to hit the ground hard but something hit her from the side and wrapped itself around her before deftly landing. She opened her eyes to see a pair of deep green ones staring down at her, alight with a little smirk.

"Falling for me all over again my Lady?" He grinned as she huffed and wriggled out of his grip. "If you wanted to cuddle, all you needed to do was ask."

"Save it for later Chat." She said, giving him a smile and flicking his bell. His head felt dizzy again under her gaze but she quickly turned serious again, staring back at the destruction the akuma had left behind. "He's heading for the centre of the city; I suspect he wants to make a spectacle of the Mayor."

"We can't let that happen," Chat answered as they started sprinting after it. "The place will be crawling with people, if he goes on a rampage like this one there…"

Ladybug scowled. If anyone in this city got hurt because she wasn't quick enough, she would never be able to forgive herself. They needed a plan and they needed one fast. "Lucky Charm!" She cried out as she threw her yoyo up to the sky. There was a bubble of shining light before something bright red came back down to her waiting hand.

"Olive oil?" She heard Chat Noir frown next to her at the red bottle clearly marked with the two words. "Are we supposed to make him chips?"

"I don't know." She said, feeling the liquid splash around inside. "We can figure that out in time. We need to get to him first and figure out what he wants to do."

"That might be easier than you think my Lady. Look."

Chat Noir stopped and she skidded to a halt a few steps in front of him. "What's wrong kitty?" She asked quickly as he pointed upwards. She turned around and the sight in front of her made her gasp. The Builder, moving surprisingly quickly for his size, had moved away from the narrow streets and was at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower. Crowds of people were running and screaming from the landmark and the police were trying to establish control all whilst the akuma, still gripping the Mayor in one hand, started to scale it, his huge hands and feet making dents in the crisscrossed black metal as he climbed.

"The Eiffel Tower. Why is it always the Eiffel Tower?" She heard Chat grumble as they set off and she had to hide a smile. Had he got more funny since she started dating him? She didn't have more time to dwell on it as they reached the square just in front of the tower and were staring up at the akuma, who was steadily climbing up in the style of King Kong whilst flopping the Mayor around like a piece of fish. The big man looked like he was about to be sick and Ladybug winced in sympathy.

"This brings back memories, right LB?" She heard her partner say with an almost nostalgic sigh. "A villain climbing the Eiffel Tower with a Bourgeois in tow…"

"Like the first akuma attack?" She replied, her mind also going back to that day with Stoneheart. At least Hawkmoth was nowhere to be seen this time. "Hopefully this time will go more smooth-" She stopped suddenly as she looked back down at the bottle still in her hands as an idea flashed in her mind. "Chat, I know what to do now! Get him distracted for me alright?"

"That, my Lady, is my speciality." He winked at her before he charged up the tower on all-fours, quickly catching up to the heavy akumatised villain. The sight of him going into battle made a gasp of panic catch in her throat but she swallowed it down before she began to follow him. She knew they had a dangerous job but Chat was perfectly capable of handling himself. They had, after all, been doing this for a while now. Her yoyo fixed itself around a beam of metal and she let herself be pulled upwards so she was positioned above the Builder. He hadn't seen her fly past as he was too occupied with Chat Noir. As she positioned herself, she looked down to see her partner was attacking him from all angles, his baton a silver haze as he struck down on the villain's plastered skin and tile armour. Despite this frenzied attack, he wasn't doing any damage and the sight of the akuma almost lazily trying to push him away made him look like a mildly annoying insect at a picnic.

She wasted no time in screwing the cap from the bottle and she gave one last look down. "Now Chat!" She yelled as she tipped the bottle forwards, sending the slippery liquid spilling down the side of the Eiffel Tower. Chat Noir leapt out of reach of the Builder and he looked at him surprised before he looked back up in panic at the sight of Ladybug happily dangling above him. She gave a little wave as the oil reached his hands, coating them in the slick substance as it oozed its way down. Suddenly he found he couldn't grip onto the metal anymore and he lashed out desperately, trying to stick to something, anything, but his hands were too oily to cling to anything.

"Get the Mayor!" Ladybug shouted as she ran down the side of the Tower, her mind on her own goal. As Chat vaulted over the Builder with his baton and snatched Mayor Bourgeois from his grasp, stifling a groan at how heavy the man was, she pounced down, avoiding the oil puddles as her feet wove around them like a ballet dancer. As she got closer, the Builder tried to swipe at her but that only succeeding in making him slip further down. Dodging his flailing blows, she dipped under his fist and grabbed at the paper in his belt catching it with the tips of her fingers. As she was zipped back up towards where her yoyo was tangled, she firmly tore it in two and watched as a black butterfly flew out.

"No more evil doings for you, little akuma!" She spoke determinedly as she clung to the oil-free section of the tower and quickly threw her yoyo to capture it. "I'm freeing you from evil!"

Within seconds of being cased in her yoyo, the butterfly flew back out, now sparkling white instead of black.

"Miraculous Ladybug!" She gave her final cry of triumph as she hurled the bottle up into the air, watching with satisfaction as the blizzard of magical ladybugs put everything to rights. She looked back down to see Chat Noir had rested the Mayor safely back on the ground and was now helping down their poor victim. The young dark-skinned man, who looked barely older than a student, was looking around in a daze and as she got closer and lowered herself back to the ground, she could see he was trembling.

"Wha-what happened?" He babbled, his eyes wild with terror when they looked past the two superheroes and focused on the Mayor. "I can't re-remember anything…how did I get here?"

"It's OK, everything's fine," Ladybug stepped forwards to reassure him. "I need to give you this." She then handed him the rolled-up blueprint, now whole again, and he took it gratefully, cradling it to his chest like it was a baby. "Listen, I know rejection is hard to take but you shouldn't give up on your dreams over this. I'm certain one day we'll see your buildings come to life in Paris." She smiled at him and that was all he needed to smile back.

"That day may come sooner than you think, young man," The Mayor voice suddenly boomed behind him and the architect spun around, his eyes wide. "I do believe you have a talent and as my sincerest apology, I would like to give you the chance to design the new extension. That is if you still want to of course."

"No I would be glad to!" He gushed, shaking the Mayor's hand so hard with his eagerness, he appeared to shake his entire body. "It would be an honour!"

Ladybug smiled at the scene, feeling ecstatic that the whole thing had worked out. The Mayor doesn't seem like such a bad guy after all, she thought when she saw how he was already in deep conversation with him, there could be hope for Chloe after all. The idea of that happening made her chuckle out loud, distracting her from the leather-clad arm that had snaked around her waist.

"Something funny my Lady?" She heard her partner suddenly purr into her ear as he brought her closer, making them bump hips.

"Chaton, people are going to see!" She giggled but she didn't pull away from him She glanced sideways and saw the expression of total adoration on his face and it made her cheeks go a deep pink. "Especially when you look at me like that."

"Like what?" He smiled innocently as he inched himself a little closer. "Shall we tell them now?"

She turned her head to face him fully and he could feel his excitement fizzing in his stomach. All he wanted to do at that moment was shout the news from every rooftop in Paris, the news that this incredible, beautiful girl was his, but he kept himself contained to wait for her response. She opened her mouth, about to give him his answer, when the sound of a gunshot ripped through the air and stole her words.

"Nobody move!" A loud course male voice shouted angrily in the terrified hush that fell after the sound. The blood in Chat Noir's veins ran cold as the four of them were abruptly surrounded by figures dressed all in black bulletproof gear and balaclavas covering their heads, turning them into an army of faceless ghosts. Everywhere he looked he was staring down the barrel of a gun and he gripped his Lady tighter to his side. He hissed a warning at some of the nearest ones but they didn't even flinch.

"All of you, get your hands in the air!" The voice yelled again as another black-clad figure slowly approached. He was clearly the leader of the group and the source of the voice and the way he sauntered up to them with a long rifle resting on his shoulder blade sent a jolt of fear through Chat's body. Where were the police? He thought in panic, until he peered over the shoulders of the men trapping them and saw how the police were standing at the edge of the large crowd that had formed a good distance away, trying to push them back as more of the faceless soldiers pointed their guns into the crowd. The brutal sight made him gulp. This felt far more serious than a regular akuma attack; these men wouldn't hesitate to hurt civilians and they would do it knowingly and coldly.

"Hey! That goes for you too cat boy!"

At first Chat Noir didn't move but then he felt something poking him in the back, the cold metal apparent even through the leather. Reluctantly, he stepped away from Ladybug and put his hands above his head, his eyes staring at the leader who had given the order darkly from being his black mask.

"That's better," He said smugly, sounding smug that he had Paris's heroes under his control. His voice was slightly muffled by the mask but they could both hear the cruelty in his voice. Around them, they could hear the buzzing of news helicopters like faraway flies, trying to see what was going on and they saw him give one a wave; he was clearly enjoying himself. "Don't worry you two, we don't want any trouble. We're just going to take the Mayor and then we'll be on our way."

"Again?" The Mayor cried out as the figures nearest to him grabbed his arms and pressed their guns into his back. "You can't do this! I'm the Mayor! This is the second time today!"

"Ain't that a shame." The leader sneered and his tight mask twisted as his face underneath made a sick grin. "Believe me, you'll be wishing we were that hulk of a building when we're though with you." A low chuckle went through the group like a chilling breeze and it made his skin crawl.

"You can't do this!" Ladybug said defiantly, throwing her arms down and taking a step towards the taunting leader. With her blue eyes blazing furiously, she looked like a vengeful goddess of justice and when the leader turned around she stabbed him in the chest with her finger, making all the gun tips point to her. Chat let out a gasp but she seemed to ignore the danger, her face alight with fury. "This is my city and I am not going to let it be swamped by terror and fear like you want it to! I refuse to let you do this! I swear by my duty as a protector of Paris that if you take this man away, I will do everything in my power to find you and make sure you can't hurt anyone else ever again!"

A cheer rose up from the distant crowd that made them all turn their heads as the sound grew louder, rolling towards them like waves towards a shoreline. Ladybug continued to stare up at him, buoyed by the faith the people had in her. For a second, a sense of panic flashed across the mask before he made a little noise and started to laugh, the cold barking noise striking both heroes to the heart.

"My, you are a feisty little thing aren't you?" He laughed, clutching his stomach like her fiery speech was the most hilarious thing he had ever heard. Ladybug stood firm, her gaze unyielding, but only Chat saw how her hands were quivering. "Protector of Paris, eh? Well, if you're going to do all that, we might as well leave the Mayor and take you instead."

The world seemed to come to a standstill as the weight of his words hit Chat Noir like a wrecking ball, rendering him motionless. He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience as he could only watch the scene like a numb statue. A pair of hands shot out and dragged Ladybug away from the leader, taking advantage of her stunned state to force her arms behind her back. Two of them pinned her in place as her head was yanked back by her hair and a gun was held to her neck. All the while, the leader kept laughing.

"This all seems so simple now! Why would we take this fat lump of lard with a sash on it when we can take the heroine of Paris herself?" Ladybug tried to struggle as he leaned closer to her but they held her fast and suddenly his face was looming over hers, so close she could see every tiny fibre that made up his mask. "Don't try to escape you stupid bug," He leered at her, his voice now low and menacing, enough to make her shudder. "Remember, I could crush you under my foot easily and I will do if you give me any hassle, alright?"

"Don't touch her!" Chat spat out as his hand reached up to cup her face. He could now feel his body again and it was flowing with anger. How dare they lay their twisted fingers on her! He pulled out his baton and was ready to slam it down on his head when he was knocked to the floor. Pain seared through his head and he heard Ladybug scream his name as he was dragged up into a kneeling position, hanging from the grip of his new captors like a piece of meat. He heard more laughing from behind and guessed one of them had hit him with the grip of their gun. Two guns were biting into his shoulder blades and he lifted his head with a groan to see the black mask was only inches away from him.

"Aw, is the kitty getting protective?" He sneered, putting on a high baby-like voice to make the others laugh. "Somebody declaw this cat, he's useless to us."

He turned to walk away and he looked over at Ladybug. Their eyes met and he could see how worried she was, her eyes pools of concern as she looked at him. He gave the tiniest of smiles to try and reassure her but he knew it would do nothing. How the heck was he meant to get her out of this mess? Paris would be in chaos if she was taken from them and he didn't want to imagine the things that they could do to her. There was a sudden beeping noise from her earrings and she started in panic. She was running out of time, he realised, they couldn't let them find out her identity.

He saw her eyes frantically dart around for something to aid them and her eyes fell on the baton he still had partly-hidden in his limp hand. The idiot had completely overlooked that, he thought with a small grin. He bowed his head to hide his face with his mop of blonde hair as a plan began to formulate in his mind. He didn't know if it would work but it was the only thing they had right now and, if he thought about it, when didn't he and Ladybug think a crazy plan would never work? He looked up briefly once more to signal with his eyes what he was going to do and she gave the slightest dip of her head to indicate she was ready.

What happened next seemed to take place in only a split second. Chat angled his baton at the two figures holding Ladybug and it shot it at them, knocking them both to the ground. Ladybug turned and ran across the square, hurling her yoyo over the heads of the crowd to swing away. Chat tried to pull away from his own trap but despite their shock, they still held onto him. He didn't care though; he grinned and cheered along with the crowd as his Lady sped away.

"No! She is not getting away!" The leader bellowed as he raised his gun at the spot of red. Just as it looked like she was about to dip into the maze of streets and out of sight, she turned around to search for her partner. He saw her moment of hesitation and made to scream at her to run, run as fast as her yoyo could carry her, but it was too late. He was forced to watch as his worst nightmare unfolded before him. The leader fired three shots into the air; the first two did nothing but the third was followed by a heart-stopping scream. Chat Noir could only watch uselessly as she fell from the sky, tumbling like a bird with a broken wing… and he wasn't there to catch her.

 _That was a little sudden...Please leave a review and tell me what you think!_


	6. Chapter 6

"LADYBUGGGGG!"

He howled her name in anguish, fighting against his jailors as his screams poured from him like bile. His lungs were burning and his body felt like it was being ripped apart by the agony, like the bullet that had pieced her had lodged inside his own heart. She had been shot. The words ran through his mind like shards of glass, tearing him up from the inside. She had been shot…

All around him, pandemonium had broken out as the sound of the gunshots triggered the explosive tension in the crowd. The people of Paris surged in all directions, the messy scared mass of people trying to get away, the air alive with their terror. In the middle of it all, the gunman who had lit the flame was standing there still like he was made of ice, his gun still held aloft like he couldn't believe what he had just done. Chat Noir looked over at him, his raging eyes holding no pity for him. If he had hurt her badly enough, she could…no he couldn't think of that. He had only just found her; he couldn't lose her now.

Seeing his opportunity in the chaos, he wrestled against the clutches of the figures holding him, a sudden burst of strength breaking him free. He swung his baton at their heads so they fell heavily to the ground with a thud. He then turned his attention to the leader who he struck down in the same way. That should make them easy for the police to find, he thought before he used his baton to propel him into the sky, over the heads of the crowd. He couldn't see anything in the sea of panicking people that the police were trying urgently to bring under control and he headed in the direction Ladybug had flown in, whirring his baton above his head like the blade of a helicopter and landing in the road.

"Ladybug! LADYBUG!" He shouted desperately, not caring who heard or saw him as he charged forwards. Barging his way through the throng, he searched for a glimmer of red among the abundance of people but he couldn't spot her. It was like she had disappeared.

Of course she would do that, he berated himself inwardly, stopping for a moment to try and think. What if she needed to transform? She would have had to get out of the way of the crowd to do that, plus she would need to avoid getting trampled on. He looked frantically around him, trying to find a suitable spot. At first, his mind couldn't process anything in his panic but then he caught sight of a small alleyway just up ahead, one that was just tucked away from sight. That would be perfect, he thought as he ran towards it, his heart thumping. He was terrified of her not being there and trapped somewhere else yet equally terrified of her being there seriously hurt with nothing he could do. Please let her be there, he begged as rounded the corner and stared into the dark alleyway. Please just let her be OK…

He peered into the darkness, his night vision allowing him to make out the shapes of dustbins and round garbage bags like pumpkins dotted around the long thin space. There was suddenly some movement and a foot, clad in red spandex slid out from behind one of the closest piles. He heard a small painful groan and he dived towards the source of the sound, almost wanting to pass out with relief.

"Ladybug!"

"Chaton…are you there?" He heard her murmur, her voice sluggish and heavy like every word took her great effort. He found her leaning against the wall and the sight of her made all the relief he had just felt at finding her dissipate. Her face had gone as white as plaster and, against the bright red of her mask, it almost looked grey and waxy. Beads of sweat popped out at him as her face contorted in pain and he realised she was biting hard on the inside of her cheek to stop herself from crying out. Her hands were pressed to her left side and, even against the bright red, he could see a dark pool was spreading, staining her fingers as she tried to stem the bleeding. Her legs kicked out feebly each time she moved and he knelt down beside her to try and hold her still. A loud bleeping suddenly filled the air and he realised she was on the verge of transforming. A lump filled his throat when she let out another louder moan and he had to fight not to cry with her. This was not the time, he thought, you have to be strong right now, for her.

"It's OK Bugaboo, I'm here, it's OK." He whispered, cradling her gently and kissing her forehead to soothe away the creases. It seemed to work as she lifted her head up to give him a weak smile before she rested it against his shoulder.

"Minou…what took you so long?" She smiled up at him, making him give one of his trademark grins in response even though on the inside he felt like he was breaking from seeing her in so much pain.

"I had a sticky situation to sort out." He told her with a chuckle but the grin fell from his face when she winced loudly and he felt her body jerk. "Let me see."

Her blue eyes looked at him scared but she let him move her hands away from the wound to see what damage had been done. The bullet had torn clean through her suit and skin, leaving a bloody hole where the red was seeping out into the fabric. She moaned as he held his own hands to it and he grimaced at the sight of her blood on his gloves. It felt like he was in a nightmare but the scenario was too sick for anyone to dream up.

"Oh god, oh god," He whispered, his panic evident as more blood spilled out. She must have already lost a lot, he thought, she can't afford to lose anymore. He heard her softly moan again and another wave hit him as her eyelids fluttered. "Stay with me, OK Marinette? Stay with me."

She nodded and he saw her bite her lip to contain another cry. How could she be so brave? He wondered, as she tried to sit up more and put her own hands over his, adding more pressure to the wound. She was being so strong whilst he felt like a trembling wreck. There was another bleep just before the alleyway was flooded with pink light and Marinette was now the one sat in front of him, the blood now all too shockingly visible on her white t-shirt. He saw Tikki fall from the air and land in her lap and he could see by how the kwami's eyes were nearly closed that she was exhausted. Did she need cheese too? Wait, what did Marinette say she ate again? He couldn't remember; he couldn't think of anything but how his lady was bleeding right next to him.

"Tikki!" Marinette gave a cry when she saw her and at once Tikki opened her eyes.

"I'm fine Marinette, I'm just a little tired." She said quickly, downplaying how exhausted she really was though nobody was fooled. "We need to get you help first. There's no wound on your back so the bullet is still somewhere inside you. We need to get you to a hospital now."

"No!" Marinette cried out taking them both aback at the firmness in her voice. "We can't go to hospital, they'll take one look at me there and realise I'm Ladybug!"

"What?! Are you insane?" Adrien snapped. "You can't just refuse to get help because you might get revealed Mari! Your identity is not that important! If you don't go, you could…" He stopped himself, unable to say it as Marinette looked at him tearfully. Tikki looked at both of them worriedly before she had a thought and used some of her remaining energy to fly up to his face.

"Hey I have an idea!" She said and his ears instantly perked up. "Take her to Master Fu! He's a great healer, he'll know what to do! And he's a miraculous holder too so he can be discreet!"

"Are you sure?" Marinette asked, sounding concerned. "I thought he could only heal kwamis."

"He can heal anything with his magic, it is part of his powers." Tikki told her, seeing how the girl still looked worried. "Please Marinette, I know you're scared right now but you have to get help from somewhere. You've met him before remember? When he healed me, you can trust him."

"It's either that or I'm taking you to hospital, no matter what you say." Chat Noir said firmly, giving her a look so she knew he meant it. She gave a little nod and he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her bridal style out onto the street which was now empty as the crowd had long since gone. She clung to his torso limply and he wanted to sob at how weak she already felt. They were running out of time; he needed to reach Fu fast.

"OK Tikki, you tell me which way to go." He said as the little kwami rested on Marinette's shoulder and gave a short nod.

"Head that way, I'll tell you where to turn left." She ordered like a tiny general and he obediently followed, running down the street as fast as he could whilst trying his hardest not to jolt the girl in his arms too much. He was so focused on getting her help that he hadn't noticed the one person who had been standing on the other side of the street, mostly hidden behind a tree as they watched. He didn't see the glint of sunlight that sparkled off the camera lense of the phone as Alya held it up, filming every second as he ran away, her mouth open wide and her fingers trembling at the sight of him carrying away her best friend.

It didn't take Chat Noir long to run to the house of Master Fu; he felt like there were wings on his feet as he took the fastest route over the rooftops of the buildings of Paris, his heart thudding every time his feet pounded the ground behind him. He was careful not to try and hurt her but every little moan and gasp she gave at his movements made him breathe a little easier. She's still here, he told himself every time the agony threatened to overwhelm him, she's still here and she's going to be alright. She had to be.

Fu's house proved not to be too far away and the moment they reached it, he went bursting through the door, using his own shoulder as a battering ram as he charged in. "Master Fu, we need your help-" He started to yell just before he nearly ran into the short old man who was standing in the dead centre of his hallway calmly like he had been waiting for him. He was so calm and composed he didn't even flinch when Chat Noir was inches away from crashing into him and had to skid to a halt, gasping for breath after running for all that time. For a second, all he could do was stare in disbelief at him until Marinette gave a weak cough and he looked down to see she was even paler than before, her skin so white she could have been made of snow. He looked back at Fu and started to plead. "Please Sir, she's hurt, you need to help her…"

"Take her through there." The old man said quietly, his tone serious as he set eyes on Marinette's wound. He gestured behind him to a large mainly wooden room that was decorated with a large chest of drawers with a gramophone on top, a few potted plants and some Chinese wall hangings that glowed gold with embroidery. Adrien walked in and he remembered it instantly; this was where he had taken Plagg a while back to be healed. He knew the guy hadn't been convinced when he said Plagg was a rare breed of cat. "Lay her down on here." Fu commanded as he then pointed to a large mattress that sat on a wooden stand on the ground. Adrien knelt down by it and gently set her down, making sure her head was resting on the pillow. She groaned and tried to grab at his warmth as he let her go and he had to fight all of his instincts not to scoop her back up.

"Sir please…is she going to be alright?"

Fu just hummed as his hand hovered over her side, a frown etched on his face as he moved it slowly up and down her body without a word. Adrien looked at his hand and he caught sight of a small turtle shell on a band tied around his wrist. As if to prove he was a miraculous holder, at that second a little green figure with a pointed head, yellow eyes and a shell on its back that could only be a kwami popped up from the gramophone and flew to Fu's shoulder as he stared down at the barely moving girl on the bed in concern.

For another minute there was still only silence as Fu continued to move his hands over her like a mime performing some kind of box trick, his eyes closed in deep concentration. Adrien tried to sit still but he couldn't take the silence after a while and he opened his mouth to speak again.

"Sir-"

"Hush now." Fu interrupted him, opening his eyes and lowering his arms. "I know you are worried Adrien but you must be patient."

He knows my name? Adrien thought stunned but he realised he shouldn't be too surprised. This guy had a wise air around him that made it seem like he knew everything. He didn't have more time to think on this as Fu spoke again. "This is a very serious wound and I must treat it immediately. I must ask you Adrien to stand outside; I'm going to be using some powerful magic and I don't want anyone else to be affected. Besides, I believe it is about time you detransformed. Your kwami will be getting hungry and we all know what happens when Plagg gets hungry." He gave him a small knowing grin as he gently picked up Tikki, who had fallen asleep on Marinette's shoulder and handed her to him. "You will need to feed her as well; her energy may well be impacted."

"Yes Sir." Adrien nodded as he cradled Tikki in both his hands and made to stand up but before he did, he leant over and kissed Marinette lightly on the cheek, causing her to stir a little and make a little sigh. "Shush, it's all OK, you're in good hands now." He whispered to her before he straightened back up. He gave one last pleading look at Fu before he turned and left the room, sliding the paper-thin panel door shut behind him. He closed his eyes as he willed himself to detransform and there was a blur of green light on the inside of his eyelids before he heard Plagg's voice ringing in his ears.

"Cheese!" The black kwami exclaimed delightedly and when Adrien opened his eyes and looked in the corner of the room, he saw two plates, one of cookies one of cheese, had been set out for them. Plagg was already revelling in the cheese one, rolling about like a pig in mud whilst his jaws chomped at the goo around him, and Adrien gave him a stern look as he carried Tikki over to the plate of cookies.

"Could you at least try to be a little more sensitive?" He scolded him fiercely as Tikki, awoken by the aroma of the freshly baked goods, opened her eyes and started to eat, taking delicate nibbles that got smaller and daintier as she felt her strength returning. "Marinette's in there injured and yet you're still stuffing your face!"

"Hey, hey, I don't see how your girlfriend being hurt means I can't eat!" Plagg shot back between mouthfuls. "And she's with Fu, she's in the best possible hands she could be in right now!"

"He is right for once," Tikki said, shooting him a look that made him momentarily stop eating and look guilty. "Marinette is going to be fine, you don't need to worry, she's not going to…oh Adrien." She flew over to the boy as he slumped to the floor and buried his face in his knees. "Everything will be alright." She said gently as she patted his golden head and let him cry as all his will to keep his tears back fell away. Tikki shushed him and Plagg soon joined her after finishing off the plateful of cheese but as they attempted to comfort him, her own attention and fears kept wondering to what was happening in the other room. Please be alright, she thought hopefully, just please be alright.

It couldn't have been longer than a couple of hours before the door slid back open but it had felt like an eternity to Adrien, who had remained in the same curled up position for the entire time, his head bowed like he was praying. He had long since stopped crying but that hadn't made him feel much better. His insides felt like they had been steamrollered and he knew he couldn't take much more of this torment. The worst part was the not knowing, the fact that she was only a few metres away yet he was just as ignorant about how she was as he would be if she were on the other side of the world. That was why when the door opened, he jumped up like a coiled spring and ran in, leaving two slightly dazed kwamis who had been sleeping off their giant meals to follow him.

Marinette was still lying on the bed, her t-shirt hitched up to reveal a layer of bandages swaddling her middle. Her jacket was folded up by her side with her hair ribbons resting in coils on top of the pile. He hair was spread out loose over the pillow to make her more comfortable and her shoes had been taken off for the same reason. She looked up at him when he rushed into the room like a hurricane and he saw instantly how much better she looked. There was now some colour in her pale face, her cheeks almost back to their normal rosy pink, and her teal eyes were sparkling again. She raised her hand to give him a little wave and that was what made him crumble. He collapsed to his knees by her side and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pecking her face with fast desperate kisses as more tears spilled from his eyes.

"Princess! You're alright, oh thank god, you're alright…" He murmured into her skin as she giggled and hugged him back, running her fingers through his hair as she pulled him closer.

"Chaton please, I'm fine!" She said lightly but he could tell she was trying hard not to cry as well. He felt her fingers brushing away the dampness on his cheeks and he was about to take her lips with his own when he heard a small cough from above him. He angled his head to see Fu was still standing there, a small smug smile playing across his lips as he stroked his beard. Adrien's face reddened as he automatically sprung backwards, feeling like he had just been caught by his grandfather. He made sure to sit a few feet away from her as Fu looked at them both and there was an awkward moment where no one spoke. Then, to both of their surprise, Fu gave a light chuckle as he grinned over at the gramophone and the small green head poking out of it.

"You see, Wyazz?" He called over triumphantly. "I told you it would happen! Didn't I tell you these two were perfect for each other?"

"Yes, yes you did." The little turtle said with a little exasperated sigh as he dived out of sight and Fu chuckled again before he turned back to the confused pair and cleared his throat.

"I apologise for getting ahead of myself," He said with a devious smile aimed back at the gramophone. "But I do like it when a good plan comes together." He then knelt by the side of the bed and his voice was kind when he next spoke. "You took a great injury Marinette, you were very lucky the bullet didn't hit anything vital or it would have taken far more than my magic to restore you to health. The bandages are to keep a poultice to your skin, it's an ancient recipe I learnt and it is particularly beneficial for these modern wounds. I haven't needed to use it since the war…" His eyes took on a faraway look and he shook his head with a nostalgic smile. "Ah memories. Anyway, it should have done its work by tomorrow, until then you cannot move from this bed. Adrien, I trust that I can leave you with that task? If she's like any of the other Ladybugs I knew, she'll be very stubborn."

"You're telling me." Adrien grinned, making Marinette squeak with indignation and try to clout him. He took her hand and pinned it to the bed, giving her another Chat Noir smirk as he shook his finger at her.

"No, no Marinette, you can't move." He told her cheekily and she huffed at him, not having the strength to do much else. Adrien then looked back at Fu, whose pleased smile was now even wider than before, and nodded. "You can count on me Sir." He affirmed and Fu bowed his head in response.

"I thought so. I will leave you two to get some rest, it has been a long tiring day for both of you." He stood up and made for the door. He was standing in the doorframe when he turned around and addressed them again. "Oh I almost forgot. I have called both your guardians and informed them you will be sleeping elsewhere tonight. They believe you were caught up in the akuma attack and are staying together with a friend. Marinette, your parents were very worried but they seemed to be pleased you were with Adrien-they seem to trust him through your father did mention something about kneading his face like dough if he tried anything…" Adrien went a little pale at the thought of Marinette's father coming after him and she giggled. "And Adrien, I only spoke to your father's assistant. She was worried too but she said she would send a car for you in the early morning so it doesn't interfere with your schedule." Adrien just nodded in acknowledgement, his face blank. It was the kind of response he had expected.

"Thank you Sir." He said and Fu gave them both a warm look.

"Please, call me Fu, Sir feels far too formal." He answered already closing the panel door. "Goodnight children. And be careful." With those last words and a waggle of his eyebrows, he closed the door and they could hear him strolling away, leaving them both confused.

"Be careful?" Adrien turned to Plagg and Tikki who had been hovering by his side the whole time. "What does that mean? Don't get shot again?"

"Not exactly…" Tikki answered awkwardly whilst Plagg looked ready to burst out in gleeful laughter.

"He means don't make a mess with your bodily fluids." He cackled as both Adrien and Marinette looked horrified. "We've had Chat Noirs and Ladybugs get injured before and come here and sometimes they can get a little frisky, what with cats and all… One pair practically wrecked the place, it took ages to clear it all up."

Adrien and Marinette looked over at each other and went red before Adrien's eyes went down suspiciously to the mattress. "I really want to turn that thing over now." He muttered and Marinette laughed.

"Nobody is moving anything if I'm on it remember?" She teased him, her hand going up to flick where his bell would have been. "Now get your butt over here, I'm getting cold."

"As you wish, my Lady." Adrien grinned, happy that she had lost nothing of her sassy personality even in her exhausted state. He crawled to her side and lay down at her back, snuggling into her as their bodies slotted together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. His arms went around her middle, careful to avoid the bandages, and he nuzzled into her loose hair and pressed kisses to her neck as she wriggled around to fully embrace his warmth. For a few moments, they stayed like that, silently enjoying this snatched moment of calm after the turbulent storm. Marinette was on the verge of dozing off when she opened her eyes to look sleepily at her boyfriend and saw he was looking down unhappily, his forehead creased as he let his thoughts wander.

"Adrien?" She whispered as she brought up her hand to stroke his cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Don't lie to me Chaton." She replied with one eyebrow raised. "I can't be fooled just because I'm tired."

"I don't think I could ever fool you my Lady," He said with a hint of a smile before it dropped again. "I just…keep thinking about earlier today. You getting shot…it was because you looked back around at me."

"Of course I looked back, I had to see if you were alright." She answered insistently, frowning slightly. "I couldn't have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you because I ran away."

"That's the problem! You shouldn't have been so concerned about me!" Adrien snapped, scraping his hand through his hair as he tried to suppress an angry groan. "You doing that got you seriously hurt and you wouldn't have done that before we revealed ourselves!"

"What?!" She stared at him with her mouth slightly open. "What are you talking about?"

"Before I didn't matter!" He ranted crossly, his eyes squeezed shut and his fist pressed over one eye like he was trying to contain himself. "Before I could take all the hits and it didn't matter but now you know who I am, you're going to be doing that for me and I don't want you to!"

"What the hell are you saying?!" Marinette snapped back, causing both their kwamis to look over at the raised volume of her voice. "That everything would have been better if we hadn't had that project together and discovered who we were?"

"Yes! No! I don't know! I just want you safe! You don't understand you could have di…" He pulled away from her with his face screwed up, unable to say the word and confront what could have happened. Suddenly Adrien grabbed her shoulders and she saw tears in his eyes when he looked at her. "You are everything to me Marinette! You are the light of my life and I don't want to see you hurt!"

For a few seconds after his outburst, they just stared at each other and he saw her eyes sparkle as they pooled with water. He bent his head but then he felt her hands gently hold each side of his face and wrench him upwards into a messy desperate kiss. Their teeth clashed together but neither seemed to notice as she poured every ounce of emotion she had into it and he responded in kind, both of them moving in a frenzied rhythm as if trying to prove their boundless love for each other. When they broke apart, her tears had mixed with his on his cheeks and she kept their foreheads together as she traced the lines of his face with her fingers.

"You always mattered." She told him, trying to sound firm but her voice kept breaking and she was fighting to keep it under control. "Even before I knew, you mattered. You were my partner, of course I cared about you then. Don't you think I hated it whenever you threw yourself into danger for me? Every single time I was scared for you, I wanted you to be safe and sound as well but we are superheroes. It's our job to do dangerous things. I know I said a lot of things before about keeping our identities secret and it being better for us but I was wrong. It made us stronger Chaton, it gave us a new stronger bond and yes it's going to take some getting used to, but I…I don't regret it. Not for a second." She gave him a teary smile and felt him put her closer.

"Oh Marinette," he spoke into her hair as he clung to her like he would never let her go. "I don't regret it either; I've never regretted it. The day I found you was a blessing and I'm never going to forget that. I'm sorry for all that, it's just after seeing you like this…I wish it had been me taking the bullet."

"I wouldn't recommend it, it isn't fun." She joked as she kissed the end of his nose to make him smile. "It's OK Chaton. Let's just both try and stay out of trouble, agreed?"

"Agreed." He smiled, just before she tugged his lips back to hers. He eagerly kissed her back, lightly nipping on her bottom lip to hear her giggling again and grinning at how sweet she still tasted. He gently rolled her back onto her back and he came with her, careful not to put all his weight on her body, keeping himself up with one arm whilst the other trailed down her side to gently rest at her hip. Her own fingers dug into his tousled hair and ran down his neck to his shoulder, lingering slightly at the spot where her hickey still proudly declared he was hers. Tikki and Plagg watched from the other end of the room, as far away as possible. Tikki had a proud smile on her face and was clasping her tiny hands together with a happy sigh at the sight of them whilst Plagg just looked exasperated before an evil little smile spread over his face.

"Hey Fu!" He suddenly called out, making the teenagers stop and look around anxiously. "It looks like you're going to be cleaning the stains out again!"

Both of them went bright red and Adrien instantly picked up one of Marinette's shoes and hurled it at him. "Plagg!"

Plagg cackled again as Tikki gave him a cross stare and turned away from him with a huff. "Still worth it."

 _Damn Plagg… and yes I know, I'm disgusting (but I'm not apologising). This ended up somehow being really long, I was going to split it in two but decided against it because I wasn't sure where to split it. Anyway, I hoped you all liked it and please tell me what you thought!_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi everyone! I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have reviewed thus far; you guys are what keep the enthusiasm for this story alive. Anyway this is also a fairly short chapter after the last one (I needed a little rest) but it also adds more to Alya and Nino which I think is important. Hope you enjoy!_

Alya was sat in front of her computer screen, the image in front of her reflecting off her glasses as she stared at it like she couldn't take it what it was showing her. The rest of the room was in darkness, the outline of her bedroom furniture only exposed by the blaring light of the screen, and her fingers hovered over the keyboard as she wound the footage she had gained that day back to the beginning. Chat Noir ran back and forth across her screen as she replayed it over and over again. She rubbed her bleary eyes as she paused it halfway through, so practised at it she got it on the exact spot she wanted. It showed the face of the girl who was curled up in his arms, a bloodstain on her side and a little red blob on her shoulder. The girl who a few minutes before had been saving the city as Ladybug and the girl who was also her best friend Marinette.

Marinette was Ladybug. She had been all this time. How had she never seen it? It was so obvious now she thought about it properly. She always disappeared when an akuma attacked, she knew an unnatural amount about them even though she was never there, heck she had managed to get Alya an interview so easily yet Alya had never seen her and Ladybug in the same place. She wanted to kick herself for being so stupid. They had even shared a hairstyle but she had never even considered her friend could also be her idol. How could she, when they were so different? Marinette was kind and sweet as sugar whilst Ladybug seemed so confident and in control. Yet, now that she thought about it, they were still similar. Ladybug was famed for her compassion and when Marinette stood up for herself there were glimmers of Ladybug's determination in her deep blue eyes. She let out a groan as she ran her fingers through her thick mane of coppery hair. All that evidence had been sitting next to her in class for all that time and she had never even picked up on it. And you call yourself a journalist, she thought harshly, pressing play on the video so the Chat Noir on the screen dashed off with Marinette, heading off into Paris like dogs were at his heels.

She heard the sound of their doorbell followed by the sound of her mother answering the front door. "Hello Nino!" Her mother greeted him enthusiastically as Alya heard the flurry of noise that usually accompanied her younger siblings head for downstairs.

"Good evening Mrs Césaire!" Nino answered and she could picture the way he would doff his baseball cap at her. He was always so polite with her parents; it was one of the reasons they let him come round so often. There was then a loud series of thuds that made her smile. Her siblings had clearly found him and were welcoming him with their typical boisterousness. Alya was the only one besides their parents who could control her pack of younger siblings and when she wasn't there, they would run wild. She heard the sounds of Nino struggling to get up the stairs to her room and imagined him with four or five little children hanging from him like monkeys from a tree. Eventually she heard her mother calling them and they reluctantly let their captive go, their whines echoing up the stairs. Within seconds, there was a knock at her door and she stood up to let him in to the sanctuary of her bedroom.

"Hey Alya!" He had never looked more pleased to see her as she stepped aside to let him in and he flopped onto the beanbag she had on the floor. "I swear your siblings are getting heavier, I could barely move with them all over me."

She laughed at how exhausted he was and went back to her position in her spinning chair. "They are all growing up fast," She said fondly. "Soon enough, I'm not going to be able to pick them up."

"That's a scary thought." Nino responded, looking genuinely terrified. "How will you control them then?"

"I have my means." She said with a knowing smile and that made him smile back before he leaned forwards, shuffling himself around on the beanbag.

"So what did you want me to come over for? You sounded pretty serious on the phone and you looked upset just now when you opened the door."

"This is pretty serious." Alya said as she beckoned him to look at the computer screen as she clicked and returned it to the beginning of the video. "You heard about what happened at the akuma attack earlier today right?"

"What that some crazy underground group tried to kidnap the Mayor and then shot Ladybug?" Nino asked. "Girl, that's been everywhere, only people who live under rocks haven't heard that news yet!"

"I know, I know, it's just that I got something. Something big. I was there earlier when it happened, don't worry I wasn't hurt," She quickly explained when she saw Nino's concern before she went on. "I got tangled up in the crowd but when it started to clear I ran for the street that Chat Noir had gone into to find Ladybug. When I got there, it was empty but I thought I should stick around just in case they were hiding somewhere. I had just stopped behind this tree to get my phone out, I'd only been there a few minutes when Chat Noir came running out of this alleyway right in front of me. I held my phone up and this is what I got. It…has to be seen to be believed."

She pressed play but looked away from the screen, she had the entire video memorised already so there was no need for her to look. Instead she watched Nino's face as it went from confusion to total shock and horror as it went on. When it ended, the gaze of his brown eyes went between Alya's serious expression and the screen, his pupils flicking until he almost became dizzy.

"That was Marinette!" He gasped out, his hand pointing at the screen with a face like he had just seen a ghost. "And she was hurt! Wait…does that mean Marinette is Ladybug? She's been her the entire time?"

"That's what it looks like." Alya nodded gravely. "And that's not the only thing. I also think that this means Adrien is Chat Noir."

"What?!" Her statement was enough to nearly send Nino falling from the beanbag as he stared at her bewildered. "How?"

"A few reasons," She told him, using what he affectionately called her reporter voice. "Firstly, Adrien and Marinette are literally the only two people in our class not to have been akumatised and if she's Ladybug, it would also make sense for him to be Chat Noir. Second, they look kinda alike. I suspected it was him a while ago just based on appearance but Marinette put me off by saying they were too different. Seriously, there can't be many handsome green-eyed blonde-haired boys in Paris. Thirdly, I was thinking about this and we've never seen him at an akuma attack either just like with Marinette." Nino paused to think about this before he nodded in agreement. Adrien always disappeared during the attacks and when he had questioned him afterwards the boy always had an excuse.

"But lastly, and this is the most damning evidence I have, look at the way Chat Noir is looking at her here." She sped the video along to a certain point and froze it before she zoomed in on Chat Noir's face. He was looking down at the girl he was carrying like a bride and he looked terrified for her. His eyes were desperate as they roamed over her pale face and when they both looked closer at his arms, they were cradling her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Nino looked back at Alya and saw she was nibbling at the corner of her lip, something she only did when incredibly stressed.

"Look at him." She said. "It's so obvious that he absolutely adores her. Now, I don't know about you but I know only one guy who looks at Marinette like that and that's Adrien. That boy would do anything for her." She groaned again as she rubbed at her eyes, pushing her glasses up into her hair before they dropped back down to her nose. "I knew there had to be something more to their sudden relationship than they were letting on. I was so suspicious but I just pushed it to the back of my mind and now this all makes perfect sense. Ladybug and Chat Noir have a really deep bond, like the one they have; they must have revealed their identities somehow the night of the English project and that's why they started dating. How did I not see this! I'm such a mess!"

Alya threw her head down on the desk and Nino instantly shot to his feet to go to her. "Alya, are you OK?" he asked tentatively, not expected the girl to get straight back up and explode in his face.

"No I am not OK! I've always wanted to know their identities but not that I know them, it's made things so confusing! I was going to post this but I don't want to hurt Mari… Oh god… my best friend has been shot and I don't know where she is or if she's alright… I checked at all the hospitals but none of them had even heard about her and I tried to follow Chat Noir but he was too fast and I was too stunned… I can't call her parents because no one else knows she's Ladybug… what if she doesn't show up for school on Monday? I don't think I could live with myself if she…she…" Alya stopped making sense as her sobs got the better of her and tears poured down her cheeks and dripped onto her jeans as she cried. At once Nino crouched down a little and put his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into a tight hug as one hand stroked her hair.

"There, there, it's alright Alya. Ladybug and Chat Noir have been in worse scrapes than this, they'll find a way to fix this. The pair of them have been doing this for a long while now, they will know what to do and she's not alone, she has Adrien with her and we both know he won't leave her. I bet you they will both show up to school on Monday right as rain and nobody will know anything different."

Alya sniffed loudly and she angled her head to look up at him. "You really think so?"

"Of course. Marinette's the same girl who jumped into the mouth of a T-Rex and then met us at the bakery five minutes later like nothing had happened! She'll be fine, believe me." He smiled down at her calmly and she smiled back, wiping at her eyes. They stayed like that for a moment until Nino realised something with a jolt. "Hold on, doesn't that mean it was Marinette who threw us into that cage together at the zoo?"

Alya froze as she mulled it over before she covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh my God, she did!" She almost screamed. "Damnit I cannot believe that girl! She better be in school on Monday cos she has a ton of explaining to do!"

Nino shook his head warmly as she ranted on, subtly closing the window the video was open on and then closing the tab that was open on the Ladyblog that was awaiting any more news on the superhero duo. He knew she wouldn't post it; she would never put her friends in danger and even though she was angry now, he knew she wouldn't be happy until she saw both Marinette and Adrien walk safely through the school gates. She cared very deeply about those she loved; that was what made her such a great friend.


	8. Chapter 8

Adrien woke up with a face full of Marinette's hair. He squinted and held back a sneeze as he brushed the tickling strands away from his nose and his drowsy eyes took in her sleeping form as she stirred slightly at his movement but didn't wake up. At some point in the night she had turned around so her back was facing him and he had curled around her body, his front pressed against her with their fingers knotted on her stomach. He appeared to have been using her raven hair as a pillow and he could see a small sticky patch that gleamed out at him where he had accidentally drooled on her. He released one hand from her sleepy clutches to comb it out and smiled at the luxurious feel of the silky strands running through his fingers. She stirred again at the slight tugging on her scalp, this time turning her head so she could look at him, her blue eyes half-closed as they blinked up at him. In her still very tired state, she was irresistible and he leaned over to kiss her face and rouse her.

"Good morning princess."

"Morning kitty." She answered very sleepily as she rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"I don't know." Adrien said as he started snuggling back into her side, his face at her neck as she started running her fingers through his own tousled hair. "This is the best way to wake up ever." He then said dreamily as his arms carefully wrapped around her middle. "I'm doing this every morning from now on."

She let out a laugh, the bubbly sound filling the quiet room. "I don't think we can do that. My parents love you but they wouldn't let us share a bed yet," She told him whilst fussing at his hair. "We'll have to wait for that Chaton."

"Alright then, I'm marrying you the moment you turn eighteen." He said firmly as he kissed her at the point where her neck met her shoulder.

She laughed again. "Will you be eighteen when I am?"

"That's irrelevant." He answered stubbornly and that made her laugh even more, her body shaking with it as he continued to kiss her, his lips travelling up her neck back to her lips. They shared one sweet lingering kiss before Marinette shuffled in his arms and made to sit up.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting up." She told him matter-of-factly as his arms kept her pinned there and she gave him an annoyed look. "I can't lie here on this bed forever, I have to get home."

"Oh no you don't," He told her with a cunning look. "Fu told me to keep you here and that you weren't to move and until I receive different instructions, that is what I am going to do."

"Don't be silly Adrien let me up," She said as she attempted to reach for hr jacket but he held her there determinedly, using every ounce of his Chat Noir strength to keep her on the bed. After a few minutes of tussling, he decided to take drastic action and he rolled on top of her, keeping her arms above her head as he grinned down at her pleased. "Adrien!"

"Sorry my Lady, you are not moving," He said, not sounding the least bit sorry as his head bent closer to hers, his forehead brushing hers. "Besides, I'm enjoying sharing a bed with you."

"Shut up stupid cat." She wrinkled her nose crossly at him as her cheeks went crimson but he smoothed them out with a quick peck before he moved back to her lips. She forgave him quickly as their lips moved in what was now becoming a familiar dance and they were so wrapped up in their own little universe they didn't realise when their kwamis woke up-Tikki smiling happily at them and Plagg pretending to be sick- nor did they register the panel door opening. It was only another small cough that alerted them to Fu's presence and once again they both went red as Adrien reluctantly pulled away from her. Fu then Plagg then Fu again…why did the universe have to interrupt every time he had a moment with his girlfriend? Even those stupid gunmen had practically cock-blocked him. He really must be unlucky, he thought as he watched Fu kneel down and start examining the bandages around Marinette's torso.

"Does it feel better?" He asked her and she nodded, her cheeks still flaming red with embarrassment. Fu didn't seem to mind though as he looked around the still tidy room with a satisfied nod and started unwrapping the bandages. There was a long moment of silence as Fu slowly unwound them, Adrien not daring to speak and Marinette keeping herself as still as possible, only flinching when the stickiest part over her wound was peeled off. Thankfully the poultice had done its job and the effect was nothing short of miraculous; the only thing that hinted that she had been hurt was a round red mark like an ink blot in her side. The mark reminded Adrien of the hickey he had given her and he must have smirked or something as Marinette looked at him crossly and gave him a light slap.

"Don't even think about it." She glared at him as he just grinned back and Fu smiled fondly at both of them. They were just like every other Ladybug and Chat Noir that had been here over the years, their bond stronger than anyone could possibly imagine even if they did drive each other a little crazy. He watched then for a short moment as they communicated in just looks, Marinette's annoyed and unyielding whilst Adrien's were pleading but he still had that cocky smile stuck on his face. It was then when Fu remembered what he had to tell them and he addressed them both as he offered a hand to help Marinette sit up.

"Ah that reminds me, I had a phone call from your father this morning Adrien," He said pleasantly as Adrien froze with an expression of panic. "Don't worry, his assistant had already explained the situation and you are not in any trouble. However, he seemed most intrigued that you were with a girl." Fu gave another knowing smile and it was Marinette's turn to look panicked, her other hand finding Adrien's on the bed and squeezing it tightly. "In fact he insisted that you bring her to lunch so he could be introduced to her properly."

"What?!" They both loudly exclaimed, Marinette's voice reaching a pitch she hadn't thought was possible and Adrien just sounding shocked. Fu sat there calmly as he let that sink in, only speaking again after the two looked a little less frantic.

"So then of course I forwarded this news onto your parents Marinette and they seemed delighted." He went on, slightly enjoying how the girl looked like she was going to combust on the spot. "They said that in return for this and to thank you Adrien, they would like you to come over for dinner."

This time the reactions were very different as Marinette squealed and buried her face in the pillow whilst Adrien looked overjoyed. "Yes! This is the best!" He called out in triumph as he fist-pumped the air, earning him another look from his girlfriend.

"No this is not the best! This is a disaster!" She moaned, her voice muffled by the pillow. "Why would you think this is the best?"

"Because I get to have your mum's cooking!" Adrien said joyfully, his mouth already watering at the thought of the Dupain-Cheng's food. "And you really shouldn't worry about my dad, he doesn't bite. Much."

"Not funny Adrien!" She snapped back, her head still firmly in the folds of the pillow as she refused to look at him. It was at this point Fu decided to leave the room, quietly excusing himself as Adrien tried to get his lady to look at him again by attempting to drag the pillow away. It really is always the same, he thought wryly as he walked away. Chat Noirs really never do learn their lesson.

About an hour later, Marinette and Adrien were sitting in the back of his shiny white limousine, Marinette's hand clutching Adrien's so tightly with fear that he was worried it would fall off from the lack of blood supply. They had been picked up only a few minutes before from a park where they had arranged to meet Adrien's driver as they hadn't wanted to lead him to Fu's and they had left the old man's home after a quick breakfast of tea and croissants, getting changed and thanking him about a million times on the doorstep for all his help.

When they each entered the bathroom, they had been surprised to see Fu had left them out new clothes that perfectly fit them and were perfect for the occasion, something else they had thanked him for. Adrien kept sneaking glances over at Marinette, something he couldn't help as she looked that pretty. Her hair was back in her regular pigtails and she was wearing a short-sleeved black blouse top with a white lace collar that appeared to have been tailored just to fit her. She also wore a knee-length flowing blue skirt that moved like water around her and was the exact same shade as her eyes which made them gleam like stars. There were a pair of silver sandals on her feet which she was tapping nervously against the carpeted floor of the car and her other hand was twirling the end of one pigtail around her fingers. Adrien laughed a little and leant over the small space between them to put her hands in her lap, his face close to hers so they could talk without the driver hearing. She looked at him and managed a small smile, his calmness making her feel a little better. He was looking very smart in a pair of black trousers and a light green button up shirt that also brought out his eyes and she felt reassured as she looked up into them.

"Are you OK?" He asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "You seem tense."

She rolled her eyes at his obvious statement and would have pushed him away had she not needed his closeness to soothe her frayed nerves. "Of course I'm tense," She hissed. "I'm about to meet Gabriel Agreste, who's been one of my fashion idols since forever, and also happens to be one of the scariest people in the world and who is also your dad!"

"Wait a minute," Adrien said, his smile getting wider by the second. "Are you telling me that Ladybug, the most respected and fearless hero in this city, the girl who faces akumas without a bat of an eyelid and faced down Hawkmoth in front of everyone, is afraid of her future father-in-law?"

"C'mon Adrien, that man is terrifying!" She defended herself as his body rocked with the effort of not bursting out laughing. "And what do you mean, future father-in-law?"

"Well, I already said I was going to marry you," He answered, inching closer so their noses brushed. "And I meant it."

"Was that really my proposal?" She replied with a giggle before she flicked his nose with a sassy look that made his heart skip a beat. "I expect something better than that from you Mr Agreste."

"Oh don't worry, you'll get it." He drawled back with a smile. "Future Mrs Agreste." He was just about to kiss her again when the car came to a sudden stop.

"We're here." The driver grunted from the front and he felt her body tense up again. First Fu, then Plagg, now this damn car can be added to the list, Adrien thought grumpily as the driver got out and opened the doors, helping the two teenagers from the back before walking over to the gates to let them in. The universe really does hate me.

He looked over at Marinette, who was staring up at the huge white house like it was an enchanted castle with a beast inside, and he took hold of her hand again. "Hey, everything's going to be fine." He softly whispered as the gates mechanically swung open and he lead her towards the door. "Just relax, I won't let him do anything."

Marinette gave him a weak smile but she couldn't stop her insides trembling as they reached the front door. Judging by his father's previous record, she doubted Adrien had much sway over the man but she gulped down her doubts as they walked into the grand hallway, that felt like something from the set of a period film, and she caught sight of Gabriel standing at the bottom of the stairs, his back as straight as a poker as his sharp blue eyes viewed them both. They felt like lasers as they passed over her and for a moment she contemplated making a break for it but Adrien suddenly moved his arm so it was draped protectively over her shoulders as he met his father's stare.

"Father, this is the girl I've wanted you to meet for a long time," He said, pushing Marinette forwards as he walked them both towards the stairs. Gabriel too took a few steps forward to greet his son, the stiff mask of his thin face unchanged from its usual stern look. "This is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, my girlfriend. Marinette, this is my father."

"Hello Monsieur," She smiled as she extended her hand with he took in his own for a brief shake. His fingers around hers felt surprisingly skinny and brittle like the legs of a spider and she almost feared her Ladybug strength would crush them. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"As it is to finally meet you." Gabriel answered with a flicker of a look at his son. "The staff have been driven crazy with how much he talks about you, I wanted to see the girl that had this effect on him."

"Father!" Adrien's face was now the colour of Ladybug's mask and it was only made worse by the smirk Marinette shot him after that comment. He hadn't talked about her that much to everyone surely? God, what else was he going to mention? He knew he wouldn't last long if he was constantly worried about what his father would say.

"What?" Gabriel answered in the most deadpan voice he could muster but Adrien could see the slight smirk that glinted in his eye that betrayed he was really enjoying this. "Anyway, you two must be hungry after your ordeal yesterday. Lunch is already set up in the next room."

"Perfect!" Adrien said quickly. He needed a distraction or else his father would let something else slip. "Shall we princess?"

He offered his arm to her and she pretended to bat him away but she still giggled as she took his arm, neither of them noticing the surprise that passed over Gabriel's face as he watched them walk into the room ahead of him. He looked just as surprised when Adrien pulled out the nearest chair for her and, before he walked away to his own, stole a quick kiss from the top of her head. She blushed furiously, her red face contrasting with how pale she had been when they walked in, but she looked down at her lap and he saw the small smile on her face that refused to go away. He took his place at the head of the table with one of the two either side of him and he motioned for them both to start eating as the large silver covers were lifted from the plates in front of them.

Their lunch, prepared by the Agreste's chief, was a chicken salad with small croutons and a light vinegary dressing. At first, the three of them picked at their plates as the air felt stale with the silence. All ideas for conversations deserted her as her mind struggled to think of anything beyond how scared she was and how measly their meal was. Is this all he gets at home? She thought as she gave a sympathetic glance to her boyfriend. No wonder he always ate a truckload when he was at hers, he must be hungry all the time.

"So Marinette," Gabriel's voice suddenly boomed through the room, making her nearly jump from her seat. "I can't help thinking we have met somewhere before. Weren't you the girl who won the derby hat competition at the school?"

"Err, yes that was me!" Marinette answered. "It was an honour Monsieur."

"Yes, I remember now, the pigeon-themed one," He nodded slowly and for a second his head movements reminded her of a bobbing pigeon. "You really do have an eye for a good design. Have you been doing it for long?"

He asked her question after question about her designing, seeming to want to know everything about her creative process and what she enjoyed working on. Adrien kept giving his father weird looks but he did appear genuinely interested and with each answer she gave, Marinette's fears fell away and she became more confident. Her speech and gestures became more animated as she carried on talking about her passion and Adrien's own features relaxed into a smile as he was happy just to watch her. She's so cute when she's passionate about something, he thought as he rested his head on his hands, the small lunch he had already hoovered up long forgotten. He could have stayed like that forever and would have done if his father's voice hadn't suddenly barked his name, causing him to nearly fall off his chair and shriek.

"Wha-what?!"

"Adrien!" Gabriel sighed as his son flailed his arms to try and compose himself. "Please try to pay attention, it's very rude. I was just having a very interesting conversation with Marinette here and yet all you keep doing is gawping at her like a lovesick fool."

"I was not!" Adrien tried to defend himself, going red again before he looked at his father with genuine fear. "And what were you talking about?"

"We were discussing your early modelling career," Gabriel answered easily, seeming to ignore how his son suddenly blanched as he looked back at Marinette, only to see she was trying to contain a giggle. "Marinette found it very entertaining."

"You didn't tell me you started as a baby Adrien," Marinette said with the slyest look on her face he had ever seen. "You must have been so cute, are there any pictures?"

This is not happening, Adrien thought as his forehead hit the ridge of the table. Please let this be the worst dream ever and let me wake up now… However, the pain in his forehead told him otherwise and he lifted his head back up to see his father was giving him another look.

"Mind the table, I had to import this all the way from India," He said, a tiny bit of amusement in his voice at his clear distress. "And I don't want you turning up at any photoshoots with your face bruised. And to answer your question, I believe we do have a few hanging up around the house…"

"Oh heavens, would you look at the time!" Adrien exclaimed loudly as he suddenly sprang from his seat and raced round the table like the wind was at his back. "I'm very sorry to interrupt but I have to get Marinette home now, her parents will be worried sick and we are due for dinner…"

"But it isn't even three o clock yet-" Marinette tried to protest but Adrien had already yanked her from her seat and was pulling her towards the front door, desperate to get away, whilst Gabriel just watched the spectacle with a small smile on his face that wasn't picked up by either off them.

"I'll see you later Father, I promise not to be too late!" Adrien called quickly from the doorway as he pushed Marinette outside and then quickly slipped through himself. Gabriel stood up from the table and walked to the window, watching as Adrien and Marinette walked down the driveway. She was clearly asking him more questions about his baby modelling and he was trying to get off the subject by flirting, making her then attempt to hit him around the head. He chuckled briefly at the way his son pouted at her like an injured puppy when she turned away from him with her arms crossed but he wasn't going to take no for an answer as he then wrapped her up in a hug she didn't refuse. He looked around at the picture of his wife that was hung on the opposite wall, the afternoon sun catching it just right so the gold gleamed like she was made of sunlight.

"Ah my love," He murmured softly, the words barely a whisper as he spoke into the thin air. "Do you remember our first days of courting? I followed you around exactly like that, I just couldn't help staring at you. You were that beautiful." He looked down sadly at his hand where his platinum wedding band still held his finger and he gave it a small smile. "You would love her my dear. I know you would."

"I still can't believe it," Adrien said dramatically, holding his hand up to his forehead like he was acting in a Shakespeare play. "My own girlfriend, betraying me to side with my own father, how could you Marinette? How do you sleep at night?"

"Not well given I usually have a cat to bug me." She quickly shot back, elbowing him in the side so he had to lower his arm. "And it was hardly a betrayal, you dumb cat, all we were doing was talking. You weren't adding anything to the conversation anyway, we asked you questions several times and you didn't answer."

"I was just that blinded by your beauty my Lady." He smiled as he went to put his arm back around her, making her sigh and shake her head even as she let him pull her in.

"Shush, we're almost there," She told him as they caught sight of the tall white building on the corner of the street. Marinette couldn't help but smile when she saw her home; never had the sight been more welcome after what they had gone through. "If you say things like that in front of my father, he'll get his rolling pin out."

"Sure he would, your parents love me." Adrien grinned but that didn't stop him feeling nervous when they passed through the bakery door and he strategically withdrew his arm when he heard the bell ringing above them. The sound brought both of her parents running down from upstairs and the moment she saw her, Marinette's mother flew to her and gripped her in a tight embrace.

"There you are, I was so worried about you last night, what you must have been through having to witness that horrible event…" Her mother was close to sobbing on her daughter's shoulder as Marinette hugged her tighter, the realisation of how close she was to not coming home hitting her the hardest in that moment. Adrien looked on fondly, taking a step back to put some distance between them until he looked back to the front and saw Marinette's father was standing in front of him. He faltered for a minute, his eyes darting to the hands of the big man to check for rolling pins before he did the last thing Adrien expected him to do-he pulled him into a bear hug as well.

"Thank you for looking after her," He said, as Adrien froze in shock before he warmed up to the hug and was able to return it. "We're both so grateful you were there and that you are both safe. She's our only daughter and she means the world to us. I don't know what we would have done if she had been hurt."

Adrien had to suck in a breath at that, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. It's a good thing you don't know what happened, he thought as he looked over at Marinette. "I'm just happy she's safe Sir," he replied honestly as he was let go. "I couldn't forgive myself if that had happened when I was with her."

"I can see." Marinette's father looked down at the way the blonde boy was looking over at his daughter and the way his sincerity was written all over his face and he gave a warm smile. "Please call me Tom, I won't have any of this sir business."

"And you must call me Sabine dear," Marinette's mother said as she popped lightly into their conversation, taking Adrien's hand and using it to anchor him into another hug. Marinette giggled at the surprise on his face but it also made her want to cry a little too. He probably hasn't been held this much in ages, she wondered sadly, but by the look of it her parents were going to make up for it in spades.

"Thank you Mada-Sabine." Adrien quickly corrected himself as her mother broke away to get a good look at him. As she did so, Adrien's stomach suddenly gave a low rumble that was so loud, it sounded like an approaching storm. He looked down horrified as it went quiet for a moment, then started up again, making it seem like the thunderstorm was now over their heads. He blushed a little bit in embarrassment as both her parents looked at him oddly.

"Are you hungry Adrien?" Sabine asked concernedly. "I thought you had just eaten."

"We have but we didn't get much." Marinette confessed warily, knowing exactly what to expect from both of them. "We each only got a salad and it was the smallest portion ever." She motioned with her hands how big it had been and watched her mother's eyes go wide in shock.

"How can that be called a meal?!" She exclaimed, suddenly looking at Adrien like he was a poor orphan who had been living on the streets. "That is nowhere near enough for a growing boy, you're already so skinny, you need more nourishment than that…" Still going on with her speech, she started pushing a very helpless Adrien towards the stairs as Marinette and her father laughed at his slightly scared expression. By the time they headed up there a few minutes later, she had already sat him at the table in front of a giant plate of pastries and he was ploughing through them as she bustled around the kitchen, still muttering about 'stupid fad diets' and 'the world going mad.'

"These are the best things I've ever eaten!" He told Marinette as she sat down next to him and swiped a Danish pastry from the top of the pile, still hungry herself. "Can I just live here now? I won't be much trouble honest, I'll help by eating all the bakery leftovers."

"They might take you up on that if you're not careful." She laughed as he stuffed two cookies in his mouth at the same time and looked practically euphoric. "Whilst Mama's cooking, do you want to play some video games? I've got Mecha Strike Three, if you fancy getting your butt handed to you on a platter."

"You're on!" Adrien declared, swallowing down his giant mouthful as she stared him down. "I'm still the best in our class after you."

"You're both on!" Tom suddenly announced from the sofa, having already turned the game on and got the controllers out. "You may be good Adrien but who do you think taught her?"

"I kick your butt all the time Papa," Marinette grinned wickedly as she grabbed her controller and selected her favourite red robot. "Let's just get your humiliation over with. Just don't snivel too much when I beat you both, OK?"

"Ouch." They both stared at her in a state of disbelief as she focused on the screen with eyes of steel, already unwilling to take prisoners in this war. The afternoon passed with the three of them glued to the sofa, the men jumping around in their seats with the controllers waving around like flags as they smashed at the buttons whilst Marinette leant back calmly in her seat, not saying a word as she let her figure on the screen do the talking. She thrashed them again and again but they still came back unwilling to admit their defeat. The only time they took breaks was when Sabine came over to give Adrien more food, something he was very happy to take as he watched Marinette almost lazily perform tricky combinations and smash his robot into the ground.

"I still don't know how you do it." He said wistfully as she trumped them for what felt like the billionth time. Behind them, he could hear the sounds of their dinner being served up and the delicious aromas that were already teasing him from across the room were making his stomach growl again like a feral beast.

"And you never will." She laughed. "I still don't know how you can still be hungry, you've eaten about a truckload of food already. You're like the human equivalent of a garbage can."

"Rude. Am I at least a good-looking garbage can?"

"Of course you are." She smiled as she went to ruffle his hair, knowing he liked it when she fussed him like a cat. "Now, come on I want dinner."

"So do I, did you not just hear my stomach?" He retorted, giving her a playful shove towards the table that she would have returned had her parents not looked over at that exact moment. Sabine was stirring the contents of a giant silver pot and she was in the process of adding more dumplings when she looked over and addressed her daughter.

"Marinette, do you mind going downstairs and seeing where I left the good plates? They should be in the bakery kitchen."

"No problem Mama." She replied before she headed downstairs, giving Adrien a light playful punch on the arm as she left. Unfortunately for her, the bakery kitchen was rather large with a lot of different cupboards and it took her over ten minutes just to go through them all before she found the plates in the one right at the end. They better not have started without me, she huffed inwardly as she heaved the heavy stack of clean white plates up the stairs but as she did, she could hear the sound of her parent's voices cooing over something.

"And that was at her first birthday party, she was so cute in that little white dress, it's a shame she had to outgrow it really. And that's her in the bakery making her first batch of cookies…"

"Mama? Papa? What's going on?" Marinette asked nervously, a bad feeling settling in her stomach at the words. That feeling was confirmed when she got to the top of the stairs and she only narrowly avoided dropping the plates at the sight before her. Her parents were sitting at the table with Adrien, a photograph album open in front of them that exposed all the baby pictures ever taken of her. She watched in horror as her mother kept pointing to different ones and telling the stories of what happened when it was taken whilst her father looked on nostalgically and Adrien listened intently with a growing smile on his face at each one. He looked up to see her standing there and he matched her scowl with a grin that said only one thing; revenge was indeed sweet.

"Oh there you are!" Sabine trilled when she saw her, acting like nothing was amiss. "We were just wondering where you had got to!"

"Are those my baby pictures?" Marinette almost screamed, wanting to go run and hide under her bed for a thousand years when she saw they had already made it through three-quarters of the album. "Mama how could you?"

"Adrien was interested," The Chinese woman shrugged as she took the plates from her and returned to her stew. "Now sit down at the table, everything's ready now."

Oh I bet he was interested, Marinette fumed as she sat next to her boyfriend who was still grinning like the cat who had got an entire pitcher of cream. Stupid black cat. However, her mood soon lifted when a plate was put in front of her and the food was ready to serve.

Dinner was Sabine's Chinese stew, a recipe she had learned from her mother and one she made frequently when they had guessed. The sweet-smelling stew, which was almost a golden colour with the ingredients she had put in it, was served with enough dumplings bobbing in it to feed an army and Marinette could have sworn she had never seen Adrien's eyes grow wider when the giant pot was placed on the table, still with trails of grey stream curling off the surface like beckoning arms. Nobody had needed telling twice to dig in and Adrien had already finished two bowls by the time Marinette was through with her first. They chatted easily about their school and life at the bakery, neither of them wanting to talk much about the events of the day before. In the warm room above the bakery, with the pleasant smells all around them and the content feeling of being full, it was easy to forget about what had happened and the four of them went on talking for so long, they didn't notice when it got dark outside, the night sky turning black like a cloak had been shrugged over the sky. Adrien only realised when Marinette worriedly looked out of the window before nudging him and pointing in the direction of the dark sky.

"Didn't you tell your father you wouldn't be too late?" She asked and she saw him look nervously away.

"Yeah I did. I should probably go, I don't want him to send out a search party." He said, getting up from his seat. "Thank you very much for having me, the food was delicious."

"It was a pleasure having you my dear," Sabine smiled warmly at him. "Feel free to drop by any time, I'm certain those people aren't feeding you properly…"

"I'll walk him to the door." Marinette quickly said, pushing Adrien away from her parents before she could insult his dietician any further. They went downstairs and she hugged him tightly when they got to the front door of the bakery.

"Seriously though, you can come around whenever," She told him, pulling her head back so she could see his face but still holding him, unwilling to let go yet. "Mama and Papa will be happy to feed you and I'll be happy to kick your butt at video games."

"You seem to be very obsessed with my butt," He joked, making her go red as she looked away from him. "But I'll be sure to come over, your house is great. Now," He leaned closer to her, keeping their eyes locked as he smiled cheekily at her. "Do you think we'll be interrupted if I try to kiss you again?"

"I don't know," She answered back, looking at him through her eyelashes as they started to close as she drew closer. "We can only find out by trying."

Their lips touched and he instantly pulled her into an embrace that nearly swept her feet off the ground. She smiled into the kiss as it just made her grip him tighter, her fingers running back through his hair to make him lightly purr like a content kitten. What both of them didn't see were the two heads peering down at them from the top of the stairs, both with approving grins on their faces.

"He will make us a great son-in-law." Tom said proudly as his arm went around his wife's tiny shoulders.

"He will," She agreed, watching tenderly as Marinette broke the kiss and had to force Adrien out of the door so he could get home. "Once I've fed him up properly."

 _Wow this chapter got so big, what the heck happened? I only wanted to write a little bit and then it just grew! I hope you liked it all, I had a request a while back to put a meeting with Gabriel in the story and I couldn't resist adding one with Marinette's parents to. I was able to draw inspiration from my own experiences as my parents once showed a friend of mine all my embarrassing baby videos and I have also frequently been called a human garbage can (I like food, OK?) Anyway please leave a review and see you in the next chapter!_


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, Adrien told his driver to drop him off at the corner by the bakery so he could accompany Marinette to school. He knew he had seen her the previous night, as his father had mentioned frequently when he was nagging him for staying out too late the night before, and he knew that she was close to being fully healed thanks to Fu but, despite knowing that his Lady was a tough girl, the incident had still roused his protective cat instincts and he couldn't help feeling a little relieved when she walked out of the bakery door. Surprisingly for both of them, she was on time for school, his text having woken her early, and they could both relax as they meandered their way to school, not needing to rush because of an akuma-inducing lie-in. Sabine, having seen Adrien outside and decided the boy couldn't have had a proper breakfast, had also handed Marinette a box of pastries on her way out and the pair easily munched their way through them as they went on, Marinette letting Adrien eat most of them. When they were just around the corner from the school building Adrien linked his hand with hers, lacing their fingers together like it was the most natural action in the world. She didn't say anything but he saw the dusting of pink on her cheeks and felt her lightly squeeze his fingers as they walked through the gates. Can she still not believe we're dating? He thought with a smile. She really is so cute.

On a normal day, the sight of a couple holding hands at school would have been enough to attract all the attention in the playground but that day they were barely given a second glance as the air was abuzz with what had occurred over the weekend at the Eiffel Tower. They heard snatches of people's conversations as they passed and they were all about the same thing.

"Did you see the footage of her as she got shot? I can't believe they got the whole thing…"

"Chat Noir's face was heart-breaking, I couldn't look…"

"That plan was mad, how did they think they could kidnap Ladybug in broad daylight?"

"I hope she's alright. I know she's magic and all but still…"

"You know, they haven't been seen since, neither of them. That doesn't look good."

Adrien took a quick glance at Marinette and saw her face looked a little pale with worry at what was being said. He reassuringly squeezed her hand and smiled at her with a nod when she looked up at him. Ladybug and Chat Noir were going to have to make a public appearance and they were going to have to make it soon.

"Adrien! Marinette! Hey dudes!" Both of them were shaken from their thoughts as they heard Nino calling them. They looked around to see he was barrelling towards them like a rugby player and when he reached them he tackled them both into a relieved hug that nearly knocked them all over. "Aw man, I'm so glad you two are alright!"

"Yeah… we're fine." Adrien said slowly, looking over at Marinette in confusion for answers only to see she looked just as clueless. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"Have you guys seen Alya yet?" Nino asked, steamrolling over Adrien's question. "If you haven't, you need to run. Run far far away before…"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" A shout came from across the playground as they both whipped around again and saw Alya storming over to them. Nino gave a little gulp as the other two stared in shock at the girl who was approaching them like a raging bull. What the heck had she done? Marinette thought in a panic before her best friend reached her and then enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug that she was certain was going to leave bruises on her back, making her squeal as she was lifted clear off the ground.

"Thank God, you are alright!" Alya cried out as she put her down, still clutching her tightly. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?! You are going to tell me everything missy, never make me scared like that again! Now where is it?!"

"W-where's what?" Marinette stammered out as innocently as she could as she tried to back away from Alya. The noise was beginning to draw the heads of some of the students as they all looked over at the new distraction.

"You know what! Your injury!" Alya pounced and Marinette tried to fight her off as Alya tried to grab at the hem of her t-shirt. Adrien and Nino waded in trying to separate them but a crowd had already started to gather and one of the guys, probably Kim Adrien assumed, had started a chant of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" that was echoing around the playground and drawing in more people. Then, just as Marinette thought she was winning, Alya's hand dodged her flailing arms and made a successful grab for it, pulling up the white fabric to expose her side.

"Ha! I knew…it?" Alya stared in confusion. On Marinette's side there was a red mark exactly where Ladybug had been shot but it didn't exactly look like a bullet wound. Marinette hastily tore her friend's hand away and scrambled to pull her top down but the damage had already been done. She gave an embarrassed whimper as all around her, her classmates went silent. The girls were staring at her like they couldn't believe their eyes whilst the guys were looking at a red-faced Adrien with what looked like a new respect.

"Dude…" Kim breathed out as the class gawped at them. "How did you…?"

"It's not like that!" Adrien quickly said, his hands protectively going to shield his girlfriend's stomach which really didn't help. "Honestly, it is not what it looks like!"

"What isn't what it looks like?" A voice said from the back of the crowd and both Marinette and Adrien's stomachs plummeted as Chloe barged her way to the front of the crowd. "What is going on here? Has Adrien finally seen sense and dumped the klutz?"

Adrien scowled furiously at her as Alya gave a wicked smile, taking great pleasure in what she was about to do. "Nope, quite the opposite in fact." She said calmly just before she yanked Marinette's t-shirt back up.

"Alya!" Marinette cried out but her voice was drowned out completely by Chloe letting out another long scream, her face white as she stared in horror at the mark. Using this as a distraction, Alya then grabbed Marinette's hand and ran for it, dragging her and the boys along until they reached the corridor outside their classroom which was thankfully deserted. Marinette then found herself being closely analysed by Alya as both boys looked on, Adrien with confusion and Nino with concern somebody wouldn't make it out of the corridor alive.

"Right. Explain. Now." Alya demanded, her eyes flashing. "Where did you go after you were shot?"

"Shot?!" Marinette nearly shouted, only just stopping herself from having a breakdown as her friend's eyes drilled into her. "I-I wasn't shot! That w-was Ladybug…"

"Cut it out Mari, I saw you." Alya held her phone up in front of her and all the colour drained from Marinette's face as she watched the video. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly as she tried to think of some excuse, any excuse for this to exist, but she couldn't think of anything and she only shrank back guiltily as the clip ended and Alya bore down on her. "I saw you in Chat Noir's arms, covered in blood just after Ladybug fell out of the sky! I was so worried, all those times you threw yourself in danger and I just watched you recording… You're my best friend, what if something had happened to you? And you threw me and Nino in a cage together? Girl what is up with that?!"

Adrien gave a little smile as Alya rambled on, telling Marinette off like she was one of her younger siblings, but his smile was soon wiped clean away when Alya turned around and focused her laser eyes on him. "And don't think you get away scot-free cat boy!" She snapped, jabbing a finger in his chest and making Nino beside him snigger at the terrified look on his face. "You were supposed to protect her and look what happened! Where did you run off to, do you know how long I spent trying to find out where both of you were?! I was convinced I was never going to see you both again!" Tears were beginning to catch on the corners of her hazel eyes and Adrien felt torn between trying to comfort her and running in fear of his life.

"Hey Alya, calm down!" Marinette suddenly threw herself between the two of them as she saw the guilty look that had spread across his face. "It wasn't his fault, he did everything he could to set me free! It was my stupid fault for looking back, and don't try to tell me anything different Adrien!" She cut off her boyfriend before he even had a chance to speak, putting her hand over his mouth so he couldn't protest. "I know you're upset and I'm sorry for putting you through that but we didn't know that you had seen us. We can't tell you where we went in case it puts them and us in danger from Hawkmoth but we were safe and we were fine. You saw my side, you can't even tell I was shot anymore!" Marinette pointed out, gesturing in the general area of her wound, not wanting to again have it pulled up and revealed to the world.

"Cool, that magic is sick!" Nino said quietly in awe, causing Adrien to give a little groan at his friend and Alya to frown.

"I guess…" She said slowly. "This explains a lot of things, like your very sudden relationship-"

"It wasn't that sudden!"

"Believe me, it was, one day you couldn't speak to him without stuttering and the next you were sitting in his lap! My one thing is, why didn't you tell us from the start? It feels a little weird to have been fangirling over my own best friend for the last few months you know. Did you guys not trust us or something?"

Marinette and Adrien exchanged a guilty look and she gently lowered her hand from his mouth as his arm went around her shoulders. "I didn't want to tell you guys because I was worried about what would happen if I did," She finally said. "I was so worried about Hawkmoth going after my family and friends and putting everyone I know in danger that I didn't want to tell anyone. I didn't even want us to reveal our identities to each other in case because I was so scared about it." Adrien gave her a reassuring squeeze and both Alya and Nino's expressions were much softer. "It wasn't that I didn't think you were untrustworthy, I just didn't want anybody to get hurt because of me. And also…" She bowed her head a little and couldn't look anybody in the eyes. "I guess I didn't want people to be disappointed. If you found out it was me the whole time, I thought you'd…"

"I'd what? Think you were suddenly lame?" Marinette was suddenly yanked back forwards as Alya swathed her in another hug. "Mari, how could I be disappointed? Ladybug will forever be awesome in my eyes and the fact that underneath the mask she is just a normal, but still amazing girl just makes her even more incredible. And c'mon, my best friend is a superhero!" Alya patted her friend on her back as she started to cry and even she got a little teary as they pulled apart. She looked up at Adrien, who was looking relieved now everything was out in the open, and she gave him a small smile. "And Chat Noir is pretty cool as well."

"Thanks Alya." Adrien grinned as Marinette went back to his side and he hugged her as well. Nino also stepped closer to Alya and put his arm around her shoulders as she hastily wiped away the few tears that were still clinging to her eyelashes. "So this means you guys won't tell, right? I don't think our families would approve of us being heroes, especially after that…"

"I know, you two better take more care of yourselves or akumas are going to be the last thing on your minds!" Alya threatened but she still had a smile on her face.

"Don't worry about it, we won't tell." Nino answered. "This is still pretty cool though."

"It is and of course we won't tell," Alya said. "But, there's one condition. There's just one thing you guys have to do for me."

The two of them looked worried as Alya's face broke into another wide smile. "Erm, what would that be…" Adrien started to ask but before she could answer the four of them were interrupted by Chloe, who burst in on them, looking like she had just found a bad smell.

"I cannot believe you Marinette!" She hissed angrily. "I know you were common but I didn't expect you to stoop that low! Flaunting yourself in front of everybody… it's a good thing Adrien is dating you, no respectable man would want you after that display!"

"Now listen here, you spoilt little…" Alya started to say but Adrien put his hand on her arm to signal her to stop. He then looked over at Chloe with a frown.

"Chloe," He said, successfully keeping the pleasure of what he knew was about to happen out of his voice. "That is no way for you to speak to my future wife."

The scream Chloe gave after that statement was enough to make all the students in the school turn their heads and wonder what the heck was going on now. All four of them were forced to cover their ears and Marinette shot an angry look at Adrien who matched it with a smirk.

"What?" He mouthed at her. "It was so worth it."


	10. Chapter 10

_Hi everybody! I'm sorry this took so long for me to update but I was on holiday for a couple of weeks and my writing went on the back burner a little bit though I still got some done. Anyway, this is the last chapter for this story, this really wasn't meant to be this long but it happened and I'm glad it did. Thanks for all the support and the lovely reviews from all of you, please feel free to write a final one and say what you thought of it all. Thanks again guys!_

"OK, are we all set?"

"We're ready when you are Alya."

"Dude the camera on this is sick! I didn't know you had such wicked tech!"

"I had to invest in a decent camera phone if I'm going to be a journalist Nino, I can't have blurry videos on the Ladyblog! Did you actually press record this time?"

"That was one time Alya and it happened a month ago, stop holding it against me! And yes, we've been recording for the last few minutes!"

"Alright, alright, I can edit this bit out later. Thank god I'm not doing a live feed… Now point it towards me!"

The lens on the phone was dragged down from the ceiling, where it had been filming the beams of Alya's bedroom, and the girl herself came into view on the small screen. She was sitting in her spinning desk chair and a wide excited smile was plastered on her face as she enthusiastically greeted her future viewers.

"Hello to all you Ladybug fans! This is Alya here and have I got a scoop for you all tonight!"

Her excitement built as she pointed directly down the camera, feeling like she was ready to burst. She couldn't believe this was about to happen. Earlier that day, when she had eventually dragged Adrien and Marinette away from a wailing Chloe and explained what she wanted to do in return for her silence, she hadn't expected them to agree so readily to her suggestion or want to do it so soon. She didn't know how she had made it through the school day, knowing what they had planned for her viewers, it was going to blow their minds. From behind the camera, Nino gave her an eager thumbs-up and she slyly winked at him before she carried on.

"As we all know, last weekend brought with it some very traumatic events for the two superheroes of Paris and, despite them saving the day from not just an akuma but a plot to abduct the Mayor, Ladybug was very publicly injured and neither of them have been heard from since. This has been extremely worrying for everybody but I am here to tell you that that silence is over. For right now, I, Alya Césaire, have the pair of them here with me tonight!"

She swept her arm across the room and the camera followed her to show Ladybug and Chat Noir were sitting just in front of her at an angle so they were half-facing the camera. They were sitting on two dining room chairs that Alya and Nino had hauled up the stairs that had originally been placed about two feet apart but now were pressed close together courtesy of Chat Noir who had sneakily pushed his over centimetre by centimetre so nobody noticed until they were already filming. He was now lounging back in the chair as relaxed as if it had been his own bedroom, one leg crossed over the other and one arm leisurely around his partner's shoulders. Ladybug, pretending not to notice how he was practically leaning on her, gave the camera a warm smile and a little wave as she turned to Alya, who was close to jumping out of her seat.

"Here they are! I must thank you both for coming, it is an honour to have you here. I still can't quite believe you both are in my bedroom!"

"The honour is all ours," Ladybug smiled at her. "It's amazing to have such dedicated fans who are so concerned about us and we're very thankful you agreed to have us here Alya. We needed to end this silence and tell everybody what did happen."

Chat Noir nodded firmly in agreement as Alya gave a little squeal of joy. Even though she now knew that the heroine was also her bumbling best friend, she still felt awed by her graceful presence and hearing her name coming from her lips still gave her a thrill.

"So Ladybug, can you tell us what did happen on Saturday from your point of view? Did you have any idea of what was going to happen after you defeated the latest akuma?"

"We had no idea what was going to happen," She answered. "We were fighting the akuma named the Builder at the Eiffel Tower, I used Lucky Charm and everything was put back to the way it was, same as always. We, like everyone else, thought it was over and that it was safe when the akuma was purified, we were just about to make an announcement when it all started. We never would have dreamed anything like this would happen."

"It all happened so quickly too," Chat Noir interjected when she went quiet. "One minute everything was fine and the next we had gunmen at our backs. At first, they threatened to abduct the Mayor and then, when my Lady here stood up to them like the amazingly courageous hero that she is, they threatened to take her instead. The experience was awful and we had to think on our feet to get her out of there. If we hadn't…" He reached over and took her hand, letting her squeeze it tightly as she bit her lip at the memory. Just talking about it, even with the barest of details, was enough to bring it flooding back and she refused to let his hand go as Alya eyed it with her eyebrow knowingly raised.

"Yes, nobody wants to think of what could have happened if these people had gotten away with their plan," She said gently. "It's a good thing that they were all arrested at the scene. We all remember seeing the news footage of your escape and how you were shot by the leader of the group. You're thankfully fully healed now. Can you tell us what you remember from it and where you went afterwards?"

"I can remember flying over the crowds after Chat Noir managed to get me away," Ladybug told her, her voice calm as she went through it. "I then looked around to make sure he was alright and that was when the bullet caught me in my side." She used her free hand to gesture where the bullet had hit her and both Alya and Chat Noir grimaced. "I fell to the ground and managed to hide myself away so my identity wouldn't be compromised and so those thugs couldn't find me. Luckily for me, the one that did find me was Chat Noir and he took me to a place of safety. If it wasn't for this cat here, I would never have made it out alive." She affectionately scratched him under his chin and he gave a contented meowl. "It just proves I really couldn't do this without him."

"And where did you take her, Chat Noir?" Alya was leaning forwards eagerly as Chat Noir gave Ladybug a smile and tightened his arm around her shoulders. He then registered that he had been asked the question and went a little red before he answered.

"I'm afraid I can't answer that," He said a little awkwardly in his embarrassment. "The place we went is a safe haven we may need to use again, though we hope not, and saying would make it a target. We wouldn't want to do that to the people who helped us when we needed it, we can't afford to put them in any danger."

"Of course not." Alya nodded in understanding. She hadn't expected them to answer the question and she wasn't going to push them for more details. "I'm sure everyone is just glad you are alright now Ladybug."

"I certainly am." Chat Noir grinned, causing Ladybug to flick his nose with a groan and Alya to giggle. This was her chance to reveal the news and this was the part that really would blow everybody's minds.

"OK, I just have one last question." She said, practically on her feet now. "You mentioned earlier that you both were planning to make an announcement on Saturday but you never got the chance. Would you like to make it now?"

Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances, Ladybug's lips twitching into a smile and Chat Noir's grin getting wider than Alya thought possible. "You say it." He said.

"Why me?"

"Because I just like hearing you say it."

Ladybug sighed at her partner but the smile hadn't left her face. "OK," She finally agreed. "Just don't come complaining to me later because you wanted to say it." Chat Noir motioned zipping his lips and leant into her as she turned back to the camera.

"Our announcement was that myself and Chat Noir… we're together. As in couple together." Ladybug deeply blushed as she spoke. "We're officially dating."

"Ladynoir is real!?" Alya almost screamed, leaping from her chair like she was about to start dancing. Even though she had already known the news and been told she had to act like it was the first time, hearing it officially was enough to get her fangirling again and she grabbed Nino in her excitement, forgetting he had the camera, and started spinning him around.

"It's real! It's real! Ladynoir is cannon!"

"Alya put me down!" Nino cried out helplessly as he was thrown about like a rag doll. The last thing the camera caught was a shot of his surprised panicked face as the phone fell from his grasp and hit the floor, lying camera side down.

A little while later, Ladybug and Chat Noir were sitting on a rooftop, their legs dangling merrily over the edge as they watched the city below them. Although it was night and the sky was inky black above them, the city still seemed alive with beads of orange lights flashing below them, making the roads look like strings of glowing amber. Lights from windows blinked like faraway stars and the Eiffel Tower that was in the centre of their vision was aglow, sparkling like a giant Christmas tree as it lit up. The sight was enough to warm Ladybug's heart and inspire her; this was her city and she would do her damnest to protect it, no matter what. She started happily humming a tune in time with the swinging of her legs and that made Chat Noir's ears twitch at the sudden melody. He looked over at her and smiled fondly, his own heart swelling at the sight of her.

"You seem happy." He grinned as he slowly edged closer to her, slinking to her side with an expression of perfect innocence she didn't believe for a minute. "What are you thinking about?"

"Alya's video." She murmured as she leant her head on his shoulder contentedly. "I'm glad everything is out in the open now. I hated the idea that people were worrying about us so much and we got to make our announcement."

She smiled as she remembered what had happened once Alya had edited and uploaded the video; they had both stayed behind for an hour to see what would happen and within that time, the response had been immense. After ten minutes, th video had already been viewed several thousand times and the reviews had been pouring in so fast, Alya's computer had barely been able to cope, freezing over at least twice. She had almost been crying at the number of new followers she had and had been using Nino like a stress ball, gripping him to the point of blocking his circulation. He hadn't seemed to mind much thought and she gave a giggle.

"Did you see when Nino dropped her phone?" She laughed and he had to laugh too.

"Oh man, I honestly thought she was going to kill him!" He said grinning at the plight of his best friend. "She looked so furious when it hit the floor and when she started chasing him around the room welding that pillow… I never thought anyone could yell so loud."

"Yeah, she could give Chloe a run for her money." Marinette spluttered as she held her already aching stomach and they both burst out laughing, howling as their bodies perilously rocked on the edge of the roof. Chat Noir sensed this and he quickly pulled them back, leaving them in a still laughing heap on the floor with their limbs tangled up together. It was only when his throat became dry and it hurt to laugh did he stop and realise how close they were to each other. He could almost see the reflection of his black mask in her eyes and that made him breathless. He heard the sound of her own breath hitching and it gave him the boldness to lean a little closer.

"Mari?"

"Hmm?" She hummed softly as his thumb ran over her bottom lip gently.

"If anyone else hurts you like that, I'm going to turn them into mincemeat."

She burst out laughing again, tears sprouting from the corners of her eyes and light up like diamonds in the faint shimmering lights. "And here I was, thinking you were going to say something romantic."

"Wasn't that romantic?" He beamed at her cockily and she laughed again at his expression.

"I don't think so kitty." She said, snuggling closer into him, neither of them caring that they were lying on their backs on a cold concrete roof. Her head rested on his chest, enjoying how it dipped and rose with each breath he made and she sighed happily as she stared up at the night sky. "It's a shame we can't see any stars." She slightly pouted as she looked up at the empty black sky.

"Don't need them." She frowned a little at his answer before she suddenly found herself being tipped over. The next thing she knew, she was the one lying on her back and Chat Noir's eyes were floating above hers, disembodied among the black sky that melted into his black leather. "Why would I look at the stars when I can just look into your eyes?"

She could feel herself going as red as her mask, Chat not helping by softly grinning down at her before pecking kisses along her jawline. She smiled as their lips met gently and when he pulled away, her own thumb run across his cheek.

"Was that a better romantic line?" He asked her.

"It was," She hummed, drawing him back in. "Now all I need to do is get rid of those dire puns."

"You love them really." He pouted, making her giggle again.

"Maybe I do." She smiled as she kissed his pout away. "Maybe I do."


End file.
